May is Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.
Interesting Facts:
The intersection of an Asian identity, and a disabled identity, can often be complicated. 1 in 10 Asian adults in the U.S. (and 1 in 6 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander adults) experience at least one disability. However, as Austin Tam says, Asian Americans with disabilities often feel that they are “very invisible.” Austin adds, “there is a huge cultural stigma, and taboo... [which] often presents challenges to families because of fear of embarrassment or shame.” Austin shares his story, so that “others in our community do not have to be silent, ashamed, embarrassed, or have to be invisible any longer.” This month, and always, UCP recognizes the resilience, diversity, and beauty of the AAPI community, and reaffirms our commitment to fostering inclusivity, equity, and solidarity across all communities. Happy AAPI Heritage Month from UCP Oregon! PS: Want to learn more about AAPI month, and Austin Tam? Click here: https://www.disabilityrightstn.org/celebrating-asian-american-pacific-islander-aapi-heritage-month/ Congratulations to Kelly Castagnola!
Many of you know Kelly. Kelly has worked for UCP Oregon for almost 23 years, most recently as UCP’s “Training and Supports Manager.” In that position, she supervised UCP’s employee training program and UCP’s pool of Substitute Support Specialists. But we’re pleased to report that Kelly recently accepted a new position at UCP—that of “Employee Engagement and Organizational Development Coordinator.” In her new position, Kelly will be able to focus 100% on employee learning, as well as employee development, retention and engagement activities. Woo hoo! Kelly says, “I’m looking forward to making a positive impact on all UCP teams by enhancing our onboarding and ongoing learning opportunities, as well as enriching the overall employee experience and improving retention.” PS: For those of you who are wondering, today we began to recruit internally for a "Direct Support and Quality Assurance Manager"--a new position that includes many of Kelly's old duties. Have you met UCP’s new Talent Acquisitions Lead, Katelyn Obregon? She recently replaced Kristin Heying, who had been with UCP since 2017.
Katelyn has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Linfield College, and began her career in talent acquisition soon after receiving her degree. Before starting at UCP, she did recruiting in the healthcare and engineering fields. Katelyn is from McMinnville, Oregon, and has lived in Portland since 2019. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, visiting to the Oregon Coast, going to concerts, wine tasting, and traveling to new places. The next time you’re at the UCP Office, feel free to stop by Katelyn’s office to say hello! Happy April! Along with some well-deserved sunshine, April 1st brings us the start of “Autism Acceptance Month.” Autism is near and dear to our hearts. 1 out of every 36 children in the United States has autism, as do more than 5.4 million adults in the United States. Thank you for joining UCP as we celebrate neurodiversity, and continue in our fight to create an inclusive environment for everyone! One of our employees, who is parenting a child with autism, has the following links to share:
Well, that’s a wrap!
The 2024 round of applications for the Bill Porter Memorial Fund closed at 5pm on March 31st. We're thrilled to report that we received dozens of applications. Over the next few weeks, our Executive Director and Leadership Team will be reading the applications. They will then make the incredibly exciting (but challenging!) decision about which customers will receive funds. We’ll be announcing the award recipients in early May. Jessie Ulrich joined UCP Oregon’s Board in the fall of 2023.
Jessie is a Certified Public Accountant at Moss Adams LLP, a longtime supporter of UCP Oregon. Jessie says, “I have a great respect for UCP Oregon, especially the community that UCP Oregon serves.” She brings to the Board a broad range of experience in tax compliance, tax planning, and tax consulting. Jessie is the mother of three young children. We are incredibly pleased to introduce you to one of UCP Oregon's newest Board members, Bethany M. Sloane, PT, DPT, PCS, PhD(c).
Bethany joined our Board earlier this year. Bethany has worked as a pediatric physical therapist since 2009. She currently works at the Child Development & Rehabilitation Center at Oregon Health & Science University, where she specializes in durable medical equipment prescription and assistive technology. She conducts research involving powered mobility interventions and the use of assistive technology, in collaboration with caregivers/parents and young children with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Bethany is also the co-director of Go Baby Go Oregon, a community-based outreach program that adapts pediatric equipment for children to increase their mobility and participation in play, fun, and socialization. Before joining UCP’s Board, Bethany was a familiar face at UCP Oregon’s Family Support Conference, serving as a presenter and assisting with planning. Bethany has also attended UCP Oregon’s Walk, Roll ’n’ Run event. She is excited to be involved in future UCP events. Happy March! As you may know, March Women’s History Month.
And this theme for this year’s national celebration is rad: “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” That sure sounds like a lot of people we know here at UCP Oregon! To kick off the month, here's a round-up of inspiring quotes from women who fought for true equality, diversity and inclusion: Inspiring Quotes for Women's History Month:
Happy March! Did you know that March is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month?
The theme was created in 2006 by the Cerebral Palsy Advocacy Group. This is a very special month for UCP Oregon. As you may know, UCP Oregon was created in 1955 as a way to support families who were raising children who experienced cerebral palsy. Since then, we’ve expanded quite a bit! Today we support children and adults who experience ANY intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD). But UCP’s Family Support Department still does vital work to support families who are raising children who experience cerebral palsy or a closely-related disorder. How are YOU planning to celebrate National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month? Woo hoo! It’s official! The 2023 UCP Oregon’s “Bill Porter Memorial Fund” (BPMF) is now open.
We’ll be accepting applications from 8am on March 1st through 5pm on March 31st, 2024. UCP Oregon created the Bill Porter Memorial Fund in 2018, with the goal of assisting our customers to live self-directed lives full of autonomy, independence, and dignity. Over the years, our customers have used the Fund for a variety of purposes, such as taking a class, modifying their home, traveling, and pursuing hobbies and interests. |
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