“We have to change the way we think. Accommodating human beings, giving them the tools and the environments they need to be successful are all part of making a society that encourages and supports equity and inclusion. Providing an education for all citizens is costly but a great investment. Providing a society free from stigma, architecturally and socially and economically requires a great investment — but it is worth it.” – Susan M. Daniels, Report from the International Leadership Forum for Women with Disabilities, June 15-20, 1997, Pages 38-42, The Right to Work
Boston, MA (October 9, 2019) – The National Disability Mentoring Coalition has announced the 2019 Call for Nominations for the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was created to honor individuals who are making a significant difference in the lives of youth and adults with disabilities through mentoring and to raise awareness about the importance of mentoring for individuals with disabilities. Visit the Hall of Fame website to access the link to the Nomination Form. The deadline for submission is November 15, 2019.
The Hall of Fame’s namesake, Susan M. Daniels, devoted her life to improving the lives of others with disabilities. As a person with a disability who achieved enormous professional and personal success, she had significant impact as a senior policy maker and a mentor to hundreds of individuals.
In 2015, the Coalition named 25 outstanding leaders as the first inductees into the Hall of Fame to mark the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Those inductees were selected for their demonstrated commitment to mentoring and for their impact on improving the lives of people with disabilities. Since 2016, the public has been invited to nominate individuals and organizations for the Hall of Fame each year. A total of 85 individuals and 13 organizations have been inducted to date. You can find the full list of 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 honorees on their respective Hall of Fame pages.
The founding sponsors of the Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame are the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation and PolicyWorks, Inc.
About the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame: The Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame was established in 2015 as a legacy to Susan M. Daniels, who devoted her life to improving the lives of people with disabilities. As a person with a disability who achieved enormous professional and personal success, Dr. Daniels had significant impact as a senior policy maker, as an inspirational speaker and teacher, and as a mentor to hundreds of individuals. In 2015, the NDMC named 25 outstanding leaders as the first inductees into the Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame – 25 champions marking the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In each year since, public nominations for the Hall of Fame have been solicited across the country, with finalists chosen by the NDMC Recognition Committee.
About the National Disability Mentoring Coalition: The Coalition aims to raise awareness about the importance and impact of mentoring in the lives of people with disabilities and aims to increase the number and quality of disability mentoring programs around the country. Members include the American Association of People with Disabilities, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Bender Leadership Academy, BroadFutures, Concepts, Inc., Cornell University’s Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, DREAM at the National Center for College Students with Disabilities, EI SOF Communications, ForwardWorks Consulting, Independence Care System, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, National Telecommuting Institute, New Editions Consulting, Partners for Youth with Disabilities, Policyworks, the University of Kansas, and the University of Kentucky. Learn more and apply to join the Coalition at: www.disabilitymentors.org.