Maude Baggetto is in the Office of Public Engagement focusing on Women and Girls. [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. Born in Jamaica, Gordon went deaf around the age of eight years old after she suddenly developed severe pain in her middle ears. First Name Claudia #8. Required fields are marked *. She took her to a clinic and healers, to no avail. A resource blog for SLIP students by SLIP students. 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. There are scores of other individuals I could name because behind every successful person are plenty of people: role models, mentors, colleagues, friends and family members. 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 was a member of the Obama Administration from December 2009 to January 2017 initially . She was a woman of profound faith and perseverance up until the very day she lost her six year battle with ovarian cancer in 2000. Emailus. At the time, she was in the care of her elder sister Mildred Taylor, a teacher. 2022 American Bar Association, all rights reserved. [5] She suddenly lost her sense of hearing at the age of eight. One problem we still find is that those who create emergency preparedness plans need to realize that the disability community is not homogeneous. Born in Providence, RI #12. A one-size-fits-all emergency preparedness and response approach for people with disabilities does not take into account that, for example, that those who are deaf have one set of needs when a catastrophe strikes, while those with mobility impairments have a whole other set of needs, Gordon stated, this misperception can be corrected by having planners understand that you cant indentify someone as simply having a disability. You need to go beyond their essence, look at the functional limitations their disability creates, and then make a plan to address those practical limitations., For those with disabilities, Claudia offers the following emergency preparedness advice: Make sure you and your family are prepared. By my junior year in high school, I made it known to all that I would go to law school and become an attorney. Claudia Gordon. [3][8], It was in high school when Gordon knew she wanted to be a lawyer, with the discrimination she experienced in Jamaica as her inspiration. Voorde recently returned to her hometown of South Bend, Indiana. Claudia L Hanes-Gordon (Claudia Corky Hanes Gordon) See Photos. #ESQ @tmobile DEI #Obama44 Alum @Howard1867 Alum #AlphaMadeDST #ProudJamaican #Fashionista #TEDx Claudia Gordon is the third featured guest in the Council on Women and Girls: Meet the Women of the Administration series. 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. Love Island 2023 star Claudia finds herself confronting Casey yet again (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock). 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. 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 L. Gordon, Esq. While working with impoverished and minority deaf people, she became attracted to the prospect of working in a Federal office. [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. When she graduated from the school in 2000, she became the first known deaf black American woman to earn a Juris Doctor. WeCo Accessibility Services Reach us at: 855-849-5050 accessinfo@theweco.com, 2730 West Lake Street Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55416. 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. A. degree from Howard University . Want more stories like this? She was the vice president of the National Black Deaf Advocates. 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. November 1st, 2016
You have JavaScript disabled. 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. It's time to renew your membership and keep access to free CLE, valuable publications and more. In pursuing that mission, OFCCP is leading the way to ensure that the reach for good jobs is truly within the grasp of everyone. 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. She provides advice and technical assistance to the leadership and components of DHS that are geared towards implementation and enforcement of disability civil rights laws, regulations, and Executive Orders. The HandSpeak site is a sign language resource created with by the ASL instructor and native signer in North America. Claudia received a B. 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). Find your friends on Facebook. She didn't believe she was deaf because she had been reading peoples lip and thought she was hearing their voice. Claudia also answers to Caudia Gordon, Claudia Haller Gordon, Claudia H Gordon, Glaudia H Gordon and Claudia Haller Gordon, and perhaps a couple of other names. 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. A domestic servant with only an eighth grade education, she literally scrubbed her way to America one garment at a time. - Gordon, Obama White House, 30 August 2010[5]. My mother was my most influential role model. Philanthropic organization are vital to the work of advancing disability inclusion and access. 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. Claudia Gordon is the first female African American deaf lawyer in the United States. In 2004, she became Senior Policy Advisor for the Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. 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. View the profiles of people named Claudia Kordon. She works at the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and has. Previously city included Lacombe LA. Secretary Hilda Solis has laid out a pretty straightforward mission for our department: Good Jobs for Everyone. Model Born in Rhode Island. 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. 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. While in her eldest sisters care, Claudia suddenly developed severe pain in her middle ears and was taken to a small clinic. Claudia L. Gordon is the first deaf Black female attorney in the United States. For each of the 28 days of February, we at The Mary Sue will have a post about a black woman you should know aboutsome you may have heard of, some a little bit more obscure, and some fictional who still deserve a lot of love. This allowed Gordon to provide Direct representation and advocacy for poor deaf persons with a particular emphasis on outreach to those who are members of minority groups. Claudia Gordon became a consultant to the National Council on Disability, then joined the Department of Homeland Security. 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. [emailprotected]. At 11, she moved to the United States and attended Lexington School for the Deaf in New York. Senior Accessibility Strategist at T-Mobile . YOU HAVE 20,000 FOLLOWERS: $100 per post at a $5/CPM. She'll tell you she's the first Black, deaf woman attorney in the United States. She currently works in the U.S. Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. What inspired you to pursue your field of interest? Claudia Gordon. 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. Gordon shared her ongoing quest to create spaces in society for seldom-heard voices in her TEDx Talk: Owning Otherness.[35]. 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. Her mother immigrated to the South Bronx so that she could earn Deseo toda la felicidad del mundo para ti , alegrias , risas y mucha" Foreign-born deaf lawyer uses opportunity in America to help those with disabilities during emergencies. Facebook gives people the power. With no doctor on duty, the nurse couldnt figure out what was wrong, only that Claudia was going deaf. In this role, she drives strategies for a disability inclusive culture and an accessible plus equitable work environment. After having sharp pains in her ears, her aunt, who took care of her at the time, took her to a small clinic, as there were no hospitals. 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. 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. At Lexington, she learned sign language for the first time and became the valedictorian of her junior and senior high school graduating classes. 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. Claudia Gordon's birthday is 02/28/1948 and is 74 years old. She was one of the only approximately fifty qualified deaf lawyers in the U.S. and Canada back then. In 2000, Gordon became the first deaf student to graduate from the American University, Washington College of Law. /content/aba-cms-dotorg/en/groups/diversity/disabilityrights/initiatives_awards/spotlight/gordon_c. In 1995, Gordon graduated with honors from Howard University. from Johns Hopkins University.Emily Voorde, Member, National Council on DisabilityEmily Voorde is an Associate Director with NEWCO Strategies, a full-service strategic consulting firm that helps progressive campaigns, organizations, and companies achieve their goals. It opened up a new world for her. Facebook gives people the power. In 1995, she graduated form Howard University with a Bachelors in . Many shrugged off my grand intention as wishful thinking. For three years, Gordon was a member of the only deaf mock trial team in New York and the only deaf high school to ever win the competition. The OFCCP has powerful investigative and regulatory authorities for protecting workers, promoting diversity, and enforcing the law. Claudia L. Gordon is the first deaf African-American female attorney in the United States. Claudia remembers how she was treated in Jamaica after going deaf. Since earning her juris doctorate from AU, Gordon has been active in working to ensure the rights of people with disabilities are respected. I dealt with discrimination and oppression on a daily basis. Despite all the hardships, they created a positive environment in which all of us children could be properly nourished with a sense of responsibility, dignity and pride. It's hard to wrap your mind around it when you see it on paper. And so as a result, at age eight Claudia Gordon became deaf. In 2020, she served on the Disability Inclusion Funds grantmaking committee.Previously, Rifkind was Program Manager at The Chicago Community Trust, where she developed their disability inclusion priorities and practices and managed several disability inclusion initiatives, including the Disabilities Fund, ADA 25 Advancing Leadership, and ADA 25 Chicago. The Registered Agent on file for this company is Claudia L Gordon and is located at 108 W James Street, Blue Ridge, TX 75424. After two years of no education, Claudia and her mother immigrated to New York. 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. #21. Shortly thereafter, Claudias mother brought her to the United States in search of opportunities for her daughter. [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. Former staff attorney of nonprofit National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. He graduated from Temple University with his MSW in 1988 after receiving his BSW from Edinboro University. Progress has been made due to a combination of an increase of concern for safety in a post-9/11 world and the success of the disability rights movement; however, there are still some gaps that need to be filled. Which is exactly the type of work Gordon was driven to do: 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. After leaving the OFCCP U.S. Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. What has been your favorite moment since youve been working for the Department of Labor? [10] While at WCL, she bagged the Myers Law Scholarship twice as well as the J. Franklin Bourne Scholarship. She was the national vice president of the National Black Deaf Advocates from 2002 to 2005. . In 2004, she was named secretary of the Board for the Lexington Board of Directors. Claudia Gordon is the third featured guest in the Council on Women and Girls: Meet the Women of the Administration series. Shortly thereafter, Claudia's mother brought her to the United States in search of opportunities for her daughter. Sign language on this site is the authenticity of culturally Deaf native-signers. 49 Year Old Aries #13. This is long overdue. 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. 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." 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 []. My interest in working for the Federal government was sparked while working as a Skadden Fellow and staff attorney at the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Law and Advocacy Center from 2000-2002. or. 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. At the age of 74, she is still teaching today. 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. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Currently, Claudia is a Senior Policy Advisor for the Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. 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. [26] She has served on multiple boards, including American Association of People with Disabilities[27] and Gallaudet University. It was there that I confronted the truth that passing legislation is one thing but actual implementation with enforcement is another. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. So I wanted to highlight Claudia L. Gordon, the first known deaf black American woman to earn aJuris Doctor. 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. 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. 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. 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 was born in St. Mary, Jamaica in March 1972. 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. Gordon later emigrated to the United States and reunited with her mother, who was living in South Bronx, New York. She was instrumental in drafting and implementing an executive order on Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness. She was deaf at the age of eight. If you have questions regarding how this information may affect you or your organization legally, please seek the advice of professional legal counsel. [11], After law school, Gordon was awarded a two-year fellowship with Skadden Fellowship Foundation. Claudia and her younger siblings were left in the care of her eldest sister, Mildred Taylor, a schoolteacher. Gordon went on to earn adegree in Political Science at Howard University, then went on to study disability-rights law and policy at American Universitys Washington College of Law. Thank you for this feature! Pat spent 26 years as a public interest attorney fighting on behalf of the victims of employment discrimination. She took her to a clinic and healers, to no avail. How to say Claudia L. Gordon in English? Claudia L. Gordon, Member, National Council on Disability Claudia Gordon is a dedicated advocate for people with disabilities with nearly 30 years of versatile professional expertise, with a . grew up in Jamaica, and when she went deaf at the age of eight, she was pulled from school because it was believed that her disability prevented her from learning. None of the doctors did anything to really help or make clear what was going on. She taught me about the unbelievable power of faith and love. She is an intelligent and talented attorney who comes from the advocacy world. 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. To be honest, I dont. 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. She later went to the American University Washington College of Law. Opt in to send and receive text messages from President Biden. [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. In 1995, she graduated form Howard University with a Bachelors in Political Science. Braddy is married to Rovenia Braddy, who is an author and playwright. 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. 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. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Like (316) By the time she reached her junior year in high school, Gordon knew that she wanted to become a lawyer. At age 11, she attended Lexington School for the Deaf and learned American Sign Language (ASL) there. My aunt Mildred is a teacher, and as such she instilled in us the importance of a good education. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathleen Martinez. View the profiles of people named Claudia Gordon. Your government can only do so much, so it is important to make sure you have a personalized plan and know how to initially proceed during an emergency. Claudia L. Gordon, Esq. Please enable JavaScript to use this feature. 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. The Obama Administration appointed her to the head of the OFCCP. 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. [2] Prior to joining the telecom industry, Gordon held various roles in the public sector from 2002 to 2017most notably as the associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, where she advised White House offices and senior officials including former President Barack Obama on disability issues. Her deafness gave her an opportunity to discover her identity, strengths, and personal growth with many positive qualities. 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. On a personal level, Ive had so many wonderful moments at the Department that its difficult to pick just one. 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). grew up in Jamaica, and when she went deaf at the age of eight, she was pulled from school because it was believed that her disability prevented her from learning. As she became deaf during the summer, the school and her parents decided that Claudia couldn't go back to school in the fall. Now she is able to correct these misperceptions, and ensure that the needs of the disability community are considered when government entities create their emergency preparedness plans. After becoming deaf, Gordon experienced discrimination in Jamaica as deaf and disabled persons are stigmatized. Born in Jamaica, Claudia became deaf at age 8. 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. 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. It is uplifting when you are able to empower another and help someone discover a sense of self-worth and confidence in his or her abilities. 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. Director of Government and Compliance with T-Mobile Accessibility. Sign Up. In 2002, Gordon received the Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities. Claudia L. Gordon The first deaf African American female attorney in the United States Birthday: Claudia L. Gordon was born on May 14, 1946 Background Information Childhood: Claudia L. Gordon was born in rural Jamaica. During the Obama-Biden Administration, Gordon served as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the Associate Director of Public Engagement for the White House Office of Public Engagement.Adding to Gordons professional expertise is her lived experience as an immigrant at the intersections of race, disability, and gender, which is the foundation for the strong emphasis on disabled individuals with multiple marginalized identities that she brings to her work. There were also those long road trips on the bumpy Jamaican roads to distant towns where healers would perform rituals in attempts to cure me. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. See Claudia L Gordon's compensation, career history, education, & memberships. August 30, 2010. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/08/30/meet-women-administration-claudia-gordon, Copyright 1995-2023 Jolanta Lapiak. 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. $200 per post at $10/CPM. 2023 TV GUIDE, A FANDOM COMPANY. Princess (she/her-bisexual) is a Brooklyn born Megan Fox truther, who loves Sailor Moon, mythology, and diversity within sci-fi/fantasy.