504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for State Committee of Assembly District 67 Debra Cooper's response)

Candidate Name: Debra Cooper

Address: 290 West End Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10023

Candidate for A.D. 67, Borough: Manhattan

Phone: 212-362-7788

Fax: 212-724-4736

Email: d7eb2000@yahoo.com

Candidate for party office
67 A.D.
State Committee Candidate

Please describe any experience with disability you have had in your life or career.

After receiving my Masters in Special Education at Boston College, I worked as a Learning Disabilities Supervisors in 2 school systems in Massachusetts where I supervised programs and placement for children with emotional and physical disabilities as well as being learning disabled (e.g. autism, cerebral palsy, etc.) Because of this experience and the diagnostic work that I did in conjunction with Boston Children's Hospital, I am very aware of the needs of the needs of the disabled of all ages and continue to fight for increasing funds and resources for the whole community.

In addition, my mother has been legally blind all her life. Now in the later stages of Alzheimer's, she is wheelchair bound.
Does the club to which you are affiliated have a headquarters that is accessible to persons with motor and sensory disabilities?

Yes. When I was President of the Ansonia Democratic Club, I made sure that our former headquarters had a ramp at the entrance and it was reached by an elevator. When we moved to our present location, I was part of the leadership group that found an easily accessible street level location.
When choosing locations for meetings and fundraisers for your club, is physical accessibility a deciding factor?

Yes. Our fundraisers have always been physically accessible. They have been in the same place for a long time and one of the deciding factors in the initial choice was the fact that this restaurant was accessible from street level.
Many local clubs and several Democratic County organizations (including Queens) have their headquarters in inaccessible locations. Do you believe that local clubs are required under the Americans with Disabilities Act and National and State Party Rules to hold meetings and other public events that are accessible to persons with disabilities?

I believe that as a Democratic leader I hold dear the mandate not to discriminate. While I can not make a definitive judgment as to the law; I believe party should be bound by the spirit as well as the letter of the law and Democratic Party rules.
Are there any persons with disabilities active in your club? Do you have any officers or Executive Board members with disabilities?

Yes. There are persons with disabilities active in our club.

It is well known that our past President, the late Bill Nuchow, was a person with disability and we encourage other members to follow the path he led for all of us.
Have you run candidates with disabilities for Party office such as County Committee and Judicial Convention Delegates?

Not only have we run candidates with disability for various Party offices, we also have strongly supported candidates with disability for public and judicial office, such as Eve Rachel Markewich for Surrogate. I and many of our club members took an active role in her campaign.

I also worked very hard in the election campaigns of Scott Stringer, a champion of the disability community, over the years I have am proud my club's and my personal association with him.
Has your club made efforts to attract new members with disabilities?

Yes. Our club believes that it is important that we welcome everyone. We make no distinction one way or the other. The voice of all communities should be heard.
Have you sought to replace inaccessible polling places in your area with accessible ones?

Yes. I have worked with our district leader Phyllis Gunther and Commissioner Doug Kellner in such efforts. I am proud to have her support.
Have you appointed persons with disabilities as election workers?

Yes. See number 8 above.
Persons with disabilities have historically been under-represented within the Democratic Party leadership. According to the 2000 census, persons with disabilities comprised 20.6% of all residents in New York State and 23.1% of population 18 years and older. Previously, we were told that only those groups included in the Voting Rights Act were included in the goals and timetables for delegate selection. Yet the lesbian and gay communities were included for the first time at the 2000 convention and again at the 2004 convention. Would you support a campaign to set a goal that 10% of the total New York State Delegation to the 2008 Democratic National Convention be comprised of persons with disabilities?

Yes. As someone who has attended the last 4 DNC Conventions, either as a delegate or in some other official capacity, I have worked with members of the Party's standing committees on just such concerns and believe that the disability community should participate in 2008 on a par with the LGBT community.

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