Rifkind received a B.A. 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. [10] While at WCL, she bagged the Myers Law Scholarship twice as well as the J. Franklin Bourne Scholarship. 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. At Howard, Gordon was a Patricia Robert Harris Public Affairs Fellow, a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, and the Political Science Honor Society. She was also active in sports, student organizations, and community activities. Her deafness gave her an opportunity to discover her identity, strengths, and personal growth with many positive qualities. 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OFCCP recently published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking input from the public on ways to strengthen regulations for implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires Federal contractors to take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities. Gordon is also associated with the National Coalition for Disability Rights , where she is part of their national governance. Claudia Gordon. Please enable JavaScript to use this feature. She most recently served as an Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement as the Biden-Harris Administrations liaison to Disabled Americans and K-12 educators.Voordes personal passions and professional expertise center on justice for individuals with disabilities and equitable access to education. After two years of no education, Claudia and her mother immigrated to New York. Claudia L. Gordon, Esq. Some cited my deafness as an obstacle rendering it impractical if not impossible to pursue a law degree. 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. Former staff attorney of nonprofit National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. No one gets here by him or herself so I am grateful to a lot of people. . Yes, its a cumbersome name thats all-too-typical of Federal speak. And though its not as well known as its sister agencies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice, OFCCP has powerful investigative and regulatory authorities for protecting workers, promoting diversity and enforcing the law.The agency was born out of the landmark civil rights laws of the 1960s and over its 45-year history has expanded in authority to include protections for women, veterans and people with disabilities. 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. Claudia Gordon was born in rural Jamaica. 234 Likes, 63 Comments - Claudia L. Gordon (@cascade4ever) on Instagram: "Happy Valentines Day friends!! | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. Claudia L Hanes-Gordon (Claudia Corky Hanes Gordon) See Photos. 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. In 2021, Governor Wolf appointed him to serve on the State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation. This political appointment made Gordon the first deaf person to work at the White House in a detailee capacity. Claudia remembers how she was treated in Jamaica after going deaf. With no doctor on duty, the nurse couldnt figure out what was wrong, only that Claudia was going deaf. 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. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Growing up, I witnessed her hard work and sacrifices as she struggled to raise my two siblings and me, all on her own, deep in the rural countryside of Jamaica, W.I. In the summer of 2019, Voorde returned to her hometown of South Bend, Indiana to support Secretary Pete Buttigiegs run for President, serving as Chasten Buttigiegs full-time body woman on the campaign trail. The company's filing status is listed as Forfeited Existence and its File Number is 0801661939. When she immigrated to America -- the South Bronx --she kept right on working to ensure that within a few years she would be reunited with her three children, whom she had left in the care of her eldest sister, my aunt Mildred Taylor. 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. My mother was my most influential role model. 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. Leave a comment Born in Jamaica, Gordon became deaf at the 8 years old after having sharp pains in her ears. Opt in to send and receive text messages from President Biden. Claudia received a B. At the time, she was in the care of her elder sister Mildred Taylor, a teacher. First Name Claudia #8. Born in Jamaica, Claudia became deaf at age 8. 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). It comes about when Casey and Rosie get some alone time, a day on from Casey deciding not to . She took her to a clinic and healers, to no avail. She was one of the only approximately fifty qualified deaf lawyers in the U.S. and Canada back then. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. To get to know aboutClaudia, her career, and her inspirations read the following Q and A with her. By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. In 2002, Gordon received the Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities. Claudia L. Gordon is the first deaf Black female attorney in the United States. During the Presidency of Barack Obama, she served as the Special Assistant and subsequently as the Chief of Staff to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director in the United States Department of Labor. [28], Gordon is a member of organizations, such as the Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority[34], Gordon is a public speaker on a broad range of topics primarily pertaining to disability civil rights law, non-discrimination and equal access; grassroots leadership and advocacy; and disability, youth and women empowerment. Facebook gives people the power. None of the doctors did anything to really help or make clear what. Gordon received the Skadden Fellowship (for law graduates working with disabled people) that helped her pay to work at the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. She also is the first deaf student to graduate from the American University (AU) Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. in 2000. In 2004, she was named secretary of the Board for the Lexington Board of Directors. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Have a tip or story idea? NCD fulfills its advisory roles regarding disability policies, programs, procedures, and practices that enhance equal opportunity by: convening stakeholders to acquire timely and relevant input for recommendations and action steps; gathering and analyzing data and other information; engaging and influencing current debates and agendas;identifying and formulating solutions to emerging and long-standing challenges; and providing tools to facilitate effective implementation.Hoskie Benally, Jr., Member, National Council on DisabilityHoskie Benally Jr., is a Member of the Navajo Nation and is Legally Blind. Claudia L. Gordon Director of Government and Compliance with Sprint Accessibility Claudia L. Gordon is the Director of Government and Compliance with Sprint Accessibility, a Business Unit within Sprint Corporation that offers communication products and services to reduce or eliminate communication barriers for customers with disabilities. Find your friends on Facebook. Not being around or in a community that supported deafness became a problem: I thought I was the only deaf person in the world. In Jamaica, deaf and disabled persons are stigmatized and Gordon remembered that a deaf woman who lived in the area was called dummy, by local children who threw rocks at her. Thank you for this feature! View the profiles of people named Claudia Gordon. Required fields are marked *. Claudia was a member of the Obama Administration from December 2009 to January 2017 initially . They were always in the background pitching in whenever my Mom was in need. I have an innate desire to give back. Use WeCos Library. One of these activities is the mock trial sponsored by the American Bar Association. She currently works in the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Claudia Gordon is a lot of things. Claudia L. Gordonwas born in Jamaica. Baggetto, Maude. Claudia was appointed as the Public Engagement Advisor for the Disability Community in the Office of Public Engagement at the White House in 2013. Some cited my deafness as an obstacle rendering it impractical if not impossible to pursue a law degree. Along with her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, she also earned a spot in The Patricia Roberts Harris Public Affairs Fellowship, Golden Key National Honor Society, and Political Science Honor Society. The Council on Women and Girls is delighted to feature Claudia Gordon from the Department of Labor in our Meet the Women of the Administration series. The NAD operates on a shoe-string budget and the law center staff fluctuates from two to four full time attorneys working tirelessly to keep pace with incoming discrimination claims and requests for technical assistance from among the 36 million deaf and hard of hearing individuals in America. Handspeak trademarked. 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. By the time she reached her junior year in high school, Gordon knew that she wanted to become a lawyer. Its hard to pick a single moment that stands out in the eight months Ive been here.Every day I get to be a part of a team of nearly 750 dedicated public servants working in every part of the country who are responsible for holding those who do business with the Federal government contractors and subcontractors to the very reasonable standard that they cannot discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran. Friends slowly disappeared and what was usually a cheerful hello was replaced by an awkward smile, curious stares and even outright ridicule. For her unrelenting commitment to advocacy, compliance, civic engagement, and mentoring, Gordon has been recognized by the American Association of People with Disabilities, Google, AT&T Humanity of Connection, National Disability Mentoring Coalition, National Association of the Deaf, National Black Deaf Advocates, and The Root 100. Claudia L. Gordon is the first deaf Black female attorney in the United States and the first deaf graduate of American University's law school. Claudia L Gordon is Trustee at Gallaudet University. The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling., Have a tip we should know? Previously city included Lacombe LA. The OFCCP has powerful investigative and regulatory authorities for protecting workers, promoting diversity, and enforcing the law. We'll be in touch with the latest information on how President Biden and his administration are working for the American people, as well as ways you can get involved and help our country build back better. 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. - Gordon, Obama White House, 30 August 2010[5]. She assisted in the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness, monitoring how Federal agencies worked together to ensure that deaf and disabled persons were included in emergency-preparedness plans. At age 11, she attended Lexington School for the Deaf and learned American Sign Language (ASL) there. People believed I was unable to learn and succeed simply because I could not hear, she recalls, these experiences convinced me that I wanted to be a vehicle for change. Claudia decided on law school to help her pursue such change, attending American University, Washington College of Law to study disability rights law and policy. When Hurricane Katrina hit, Gordons efforts to ensure that the needs of disabled people were met in hurricane relief efforts earned her both the Gold Medal Award and the 2005 Hurricane Response Award from the Secretary of Homeland Security, Claudia Gordon has been active in both the black deaf community and the broader disability community. Claudia was a member of the Obama Administration from December 2009 to January 2017 initially serving as Special Assistant to the Director of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and then as OFCCP's Chief of Staff. As the first deaf black female attorney in the United States, Claudia Gordon recounts her childhood in the West Indies, her search for identity while grappling with audism in a hearing college, and her ongoing quest to create spaces in society for seldom-heard voices. I think its an exciting way for government to function and is in keeping with the high standards of inclusion, openness and transparency that the President has set for all of us. She was kept at home to do chores instead. Gordon shared her ongoing quest to create spaces in society for seldom-heard voices in her TEDx Talk: Owning Otherness.[35]. I dealt with discrimination and oppression on a daily basis. Additionally, he has taught at Temple University and Millersville University as an Adjunct Professor.Two different Governors have appointed Braddy as a Commissioner for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and to serve on the Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council. Gordon is also associated with the National Coalition for Disability Rights , where she is part of their national governance, Sources: http://deafness.about.com/od/deafwomen/p/claudiagordon.htm http://www.deafpeople.com/dp_of_month/Gordon.html, Sylvia Walker: A Champion for Disability Rights, Filed Under: Access Awareness, General, Making a Case for Accessibility, [] at the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center, giving her the opportunity to provide direct representation and advocacy for poor deaf persons with a particular emphasis on outreach []. February 29, 2016 by Sue Ann Rodriquez 1 Comment. 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. Claudia's ethnicity is Caucasian, whose political affiliation is currently a registered . I thought I was the only deaf person in the world. After a year in service, she was appointed as an attorney advisor and later promoted to senior policy advisor for the United States Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. She is also a Member of Disability Lead. In 1995, Gordon graduated with honors from Howard University. Deseo toda la felicidad del mundo para ti , alegrias , risas y mucha" It was there that I confronted the truth that passing legislation is one thing but actual implementation with enforcement is another. Want more stories like this? She was the vice president of the National Black Deaf Advocates. Rifkind is passionate about the arts and serves as Treasurer for the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium. After law school, she was a staff attorney for the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center and a consulting attorney with the National Council on Disability. She is also the first deaf person to work at the White House in an detailee capacity. or. [5] She suddenly lost her sense of hearing at the age of eight. Senior Accessibility Strategy Partner at T-Mobile Speaker, Consultant, Mentor Seen in Obama White House, Google, BBC, Washington Post, and TED Talk ("Owning Otherness"). She was instrumental in drafting and implementing an executive order on Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness. 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. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/30/president-biden-announces-key-appointments-to-boards-and-commissions-9/?utm_source=link, Office of the United States Trade Representative. - Gallaudet University", "Centene Diversity & Inclusion | People With Disabilities", "CDT Project on Disability Rights & Algorithmic Fairness Advisory Committee", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Claudia_L._Gordon&oldid=1140822421, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, DeafKidz International, Global Ambassador, Centene National Disability Advisory Council, Center for Democracy and Technology Project on Disability Rights & Algorithmic Fairness, Advisory Committee, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 23:32. As she became deaf during the summer, the school and her parents decided that Claudia couldn't go back to school in the fall. All Rights Reserved. [12], Gordon's career in the public sector started with the National Council on Disability, where she was a consulting attorney. . 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. 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. My life changed overnight, she said in an interview later in lifewith the White House. Emailus. A domestic servant with only an eighth grade education, she literally scrubbed her way to America one garment at a time. The clinic nurse couldn't diagnose the pain in Gordon's middle ears, nor could the healers restore her hearing. While working with impoverished and minority deaf people, she became attracted to the prospect of working in a Federal office. Claudia Gordon was born in rural Jamaica. If you have questions regarding how this information may affect you or your organization legally, please seek the advice of professional legal counsel. 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. Being around other deaf children, and being embraced by a community taught Gordon that her disability was not the end of the road. 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. See Claudia L. Gordon full list of movies and tv shows from their career. The Council on Women and Girls is delighted to feature Claudia Gordon from the Department of Labor in our Meet the Women of the Administration series. Claudia Gordon is a Senior Accessibility Strategist at T-Mobile based in Bellevue, Washington. To be honest, I dont. Her family was then forced to take her out of primary school for almost two years since her school couldn't accommodate her needs as a deaf student. He graduated from Temple University with his MSW in 1988 after receiving his BSW from Edinboro University. [6][7][5][8], When she was eleven, Gordon attended a public school before enrolling at the Lexington School and Center for the Deaf in New York.
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