By my junior year in high school, I made it known to all that I would go to law school and become an attorney. Former staff attorney of nonprofit National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. At DHS Claudia is able to address misconceptions people have about those with disabilities, some of them similar to the stereotypes and erroneous beliefs she faced in Jamaica. Some cited my deafness as an obstacle rendering it impractical if not impossible to pursue a law degree. She is also the first deaf student to graduate in 2000, from the American University (AU) Washington College of Law, in Washington, DC. Its always a joy when I get to work closely with my boss, OFCCP Director Patricia A. Shiu. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Brigham Young University,Theo W. Braddy, Member, National Council on DisabilityTheo W. Braddy has advocated on behalf of people with disabilities for over 40 years. or. Claudia's ethnicity is Caucasian, whose political affiliation is currently a registered . 49 Year Old Aries #13. Previously she held a position in the White House Office of Public Engagement as the Public Engagement Advisor to the Disability Community for less than a year Join Facebook to connect with Claudia Gordon and others you may know. Her mother immigrated to the South Bronx, in New York, so that she could earn a better living, and planned to reunite with her children as soon as she could. My life changed overnight, she said in an interview later in lifewith the White House. I want to contribute to a better society where there is more understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities and where the same opportunities are provided for all. Disability is something that often gets overlooked when we talk about the spectrum of representation, so it was very important to me to make sure we do not ignore them in our celebration of black women. Claudia L Gordon is Trustee at Gallaudet University. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. At 11, she moved to the United States and attended Lexington School for the Deaf in New York. In 2022, Braddy was selected by Senator Robert Casey, Jr., as one of four Black leaders in Pennsylvania who has demonstrated power and persistency in overcoming challenges and creating meaningful change in the State, and his contribution was acknowledged on the Senate Floor at a Congressional Hearing. I felt that a job with the Federal government would more effectively allow me to affect the actual enforcement of laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, thereby alleviating the blatant discrimination that people with disabilities continue to face. 17 Likes, 1 Comments - Virna L Torres (@torresvirnal) on Instagram: "Happy Birthday Claudia!!! At the time, she was in the care of her elder sister Mildred Taylor, a teacher. Gordon is also associated with the National Coalition for Disability Rights , where she is part of their national governance. He is the father of two children, a daughter, Kimmi Braddy, and a son, Theo Braddy Jr.Claudia L. Gordon, Member, National Council on DisabilityClaudia Gordon is a dedicated advocate for people with disabilities with nearly 30 years of versatile professional expertise, with a personal mission to level the playing field and ensure the same opportunities are provided for all. She won a Skadden Fellowship for2000-2002, and worked as a staff attorney at the NAD Law and Advocacy Center and a consulting attorney with the National Council on Disability. [5] She suddenly lost her sense of hearing at the age of eight. Senior Accessibility Strategist at T-Mobile . In Jamaica, Gordon could not get an education, so she moved to the United States where she attended first a public school, then the Lexington School and Center for the Deaf in New York. She wanted to have direct involvement in the enforcement of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, combating in order to make sure that the laws were really being utilized to help those who needed it the most. How to say Claudia L. Gordon in English? She took her to a clinic and healers, to no avail. Meet other fascinating administration women by checking out our post on Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs Rebecca Blank and our post on Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathleen Martinez. It comes about when Casey and Rosie get some alone time, a day on from Casey deciding not to . Rifkind is passionate about the arts and serves as Treasurer for the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium. In 1988, Braddy was hired as CEO of the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania, where he served for over 30 years. Born in Jamaica, Gordon went deaf around the age of eight years old after she suddenly developed severe pain in her middle ears. One of these activities is the mock trial sponsored by the American Bar Association. Thanks to the values that were instilled in me during my formative years, I understood then that those voices of doubt neither dictated my worth nor my capacity. Previously she held a position in the White House Office of Public Engagement as the Public Engagement Advisor to the Disability Community for less than a year . She was deaf at the age of eight. She later went to the American University Washington College of Law. Facebook gives people the power. Pat spent 26 years as a public interest attorney fighting on behalf of the victims of employment discrimination. But I am blessed with supportive family and friends who know that the long hours I spend at work are spent doing something important. Friends slowly disappeared and what was usually a cheerful hello was replaced by an awkward smile, curious stares and even outright ridicule. Sign language on this site is the authenticity of culturally Deaf native-signers. Your membership has expired - last chance for uninterrupted access to free CLE and other benefits. Teaming up with others who have similar disabilities and being vocal about your needs are necessary in order to be properly prepared., American Bar Association She has received the 2005 Hurricane Response Award, the Paul G. Hearne Leadership Award, the 2010 Deaf Life Magazine Deaf Person of the Year award, and the 2011 Amos Kendall Award. Claudia received a B. Maude Baggetto is in the Office of Public Engagement focusing on Women and Girls. Join Facebook to connect with Claudia Kordon and others you may know. August 30, 2010. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/08/30/meet-women-administration-claudia-gordon, Copyright 1995-2023 Jolanta Lapiak. She currently serves as the Senior Accessibility Strategist with T-Mobile US, Inc. As the Director of Civic Engagement and Marketing for Disability Lead, she propels the organization to realize its vision to have people with disabilities lead with power and influence. She didn't believe she was deaf because she had been reading peoples lip and thought she was hearing their voice. See Photos. Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South by Mary Herring Wright The Hidden Treasure of Black ASL: Its History and Structure by Carolyn McCaskill, (via DeafPeople, image: Exchange Photos via Flikr). Prior to joining the Law Center, Benally was the CEO of a Residential Treatment Center for Native American Youth that successfully integrated Navajo culture into western-based mental health treatment.Benally is the current President of the Navajo Nation Advisory Council on Disabilities, a former Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and a former Member of the New Mexico Developmental Disability Planning Council. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission", "InfoGuides: SOCI 240 Deaf Culture: Popular Magazines", "Google Paints Stunning Portraits of Disability Rights Heroes on Washington, D.C. Steps", "National Disability Mentoring Coalition (NDMC)", "Claudia Gordon's Appointment as Public Engagement Advisor at the White House | News", "AAPD Applauds Appointment of Claudia Gordon as Public Engagement Advisor at the White House", "Claudia L. Gordon, Esq. NCD is comprised of a team of Presidential and Congressional appointees, an Executive Director appointed by the Chair, and a full-time professional staff.NCDs mission is to be a trusted advisor, in collaboration with people with disabilities, to: the President; Congress; Federal entities; State, tribal communities, and local governments; and other entities and organizations. Now, she has come on the inside to create change from within government. View the profiles of people named Claudia Gordon. [1] She currently works as a Senior Accessibility Strategy Partner at T-Mobile within its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team. It's hard to wrap your mind around it when you see it on paper. Currently, Claudia is a Senior Policy Advisor for the Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. More awards and honors came at American University, where Gordon was an Equal Justice Foundation Fellow, had the Myers Law Scholarship, and the J. Franklin Bourne Scholarship. Recently, what has been new and exciting about your work? Log In. From July 2013 to March 2014 Claudia was assigned to the White House Office of Public Engagement where she served as the liaison to the disability community and advised on disability policies. This is historical material frozen in time. Claudia Gordon is the third featured guest in the Council on Women and Girls: Meet the Women of the Administration series. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. Claudia L. Gordon is the first deaf Black female attorney in the United States. Born in Jamaica, Gordon went deaf around the age of eight years old after she suddenly developed severe pain in her middle ears. As CEO, Braddy created an independent living center that became a strong and growing voice for people with disabilities, and started the Living Well with a Disability Initiative. Claudia L. Gordon currently a political appointee with the Obama administration serving as Special Assistant to the Director of the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). I want to contribute to a better society where there is more understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities and where the same opportunities are provided for all." Claudia Gordon's birthday is 02/28/1948 and is 74 years old. I am motivated by knowing that although progress is being made towards inclusion and access, there is still a great deal more work to be done. /content/aba-cms-dotorg/en/groups/diversity/disabilityrights/initiatives_awards/spotlight/gordon_c. I have an innate desire to give back. [3][4], Gordon was born in St. Mary, Jamaica in March 1972.[5]. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. She was also active in sports, student organizations, and community activities. What I do know is that the life of this woman ostracized as dummy almost became my own but for my mothers triumph in successfully bringing me to America by the time I was eleven years old. Claudia Gordon was born in rural Jamaica. A colleague of Katz-Hernandez is Claudia Gordon, the first deaf African-American female attorney in the United States. When my service to the President is over and I have to face my family, my friends and my communities as an African American, as a woman and as a deaf person what I hope to look back on is not a single moment, but rather a series of opportunities where I used my seat at the table and my voice in the decision-making process to improve the lives of those who seek to redeem the promise of America, the promise that brought my mother here all those years ago. Claudia Gordon a trailblazer who reminds us that immigrants, they get the job done. Its that reality of our jobs knowing that we have a window of opportunity to effect such sweeping and systematic change that makes me proud of the work we do. [9], By my junior year in high school, I made it known to all that I would go to law school and become an attorney. My aunt Mildred was also a very important role model, along with my grandmother Viola Parsons. In 1995, Gordon graduated with honors from Howard University. The company's filing status is listed as Forfeited Existence and its File Number is 0801661939. Model Born in Rhode Island. However, at OFCCP we are going to the public particularly to leaders and grassroots advocates in the disability community before we even craft the policy changes so that they can weigh in on our efforts and shape the laws that will directly impact their lives. In 2004, she was named secretary of the Board for the Lexington Board of Directors. Baggetto, Maude. WASHINGTON Today, President Biden announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to serve as members on the National Council on Disability: National Council on DisabilityNational Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. With no doctor on duty, the nurse couldnt figure out what was wrong, only that Claudia was going deaf. [13], Notably, Gordon was deployed to Baton Rouge, Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 where she served as the disability and elderly populations civil rights subject matter expert at the Joint Field Office (JFO). At the age of 15, he became a person with a disability due to a high school football accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Find where to watch Claudia L. Gordon's latest movies and tv shows At Lexington, she learned sign language for the first time and became the valedictorian of her junior and senior high school graduating classes. Prior to DOL she was a Senior Policy Advisor with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Claudia was a member of the Obama Administration from December 2009 to January 2017 initially . In 1995, she graduated form Howard University with a Bachelors in Political Science. Become a subscriber and support the site! During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Voorde served as an Associate Director with the University of Notre Dames Sara Bea Center for Students with Disabilities. She is also a Member of Disability Lead. Claudia L. Gordon is Director of Government and Compliance with T-Mobile Accessibility a Business Unit within T-Mobile that offers communication products and services to reduce or eliminate communication barriers for customers with disabilities. [15], Gordon was part of the Presidential Delegation of Barack Obama sent to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Summer Paralympics. At OFCCP Claudia works on ensuring that contractors doing business with the Federal government do not discriminate and take affirmative action. It would also be helpful to create a network of support in your community. Accessibility Quick Tips WeCo's Accessibility Blog Updates WeCo's Network for VCR Professionals & Job Coaches, Manual Accessibility Audits and Remediation, Accessibility, Usability, and Disability Awareness Training, Accessibility, Inclusion SME Speaker Services, National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center, http://deafness.about.com/od/deafwomen/p/claudiagordon.htm, http://www.deafpeople.com/dp_of_month/Gordon.html, From Jamaica to U.S., heres the story of the first female deaf Black lawyer who advised Obama africainmatters. At the time, she was in the care of her elder sister Mildred Taylor, a teacher.