The Memphis Advisory Council for Citizens with Disabilities Plans for the Year Ahead
By Christina Clift
Members of the Memphis Advisory Council for Citizens with Disabilities met at the Junior League of Memphis on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 to develop a strategic plan for the year ahead. Individuals from organizations working with the disability community were also invited to provide input on the MACCD plan.
Each of the four committees: Education and Employment, Housing and Accessibility, Disability Awareness, and Transportation left with at least two goals that everyone agreed were priority areas for the year ahead.
The morning began with a brief recognition of the contributions made by Louis Patrick who died on June 1, 2017. Louis served as the first chairperson of the Memphis Advisory Council for Citizens with Disabilities when it was reconstituted in 2009. He also remained an active member serving as chairperson for the Housing and Accessibility as well as Transportation committee. Louis worked tirelessly to improve access all over Memphis. His wife and close friends were present when a proclamation from Mayor Strickland was read and presented extolling his contributions and efforts to make Memphis a city of choice.
MACCD members finished the day by brainstorming what we’d like to see accomplished by our committees. Each person regardless of whether they were a member of the MACCD or representing an organization that works with people with disabilities were able to voice their areas of concern. Since there were more than 20 people present this list became very lengthy. Next, we all chose our top two priority areas. The two goals receiving the most votes are the ones each committee will work on over the next year. It was a very democratic process that took everyone’s opinions into consideration.
The mission of the Memphis Advisory Council for Citizens with Disabilities (MACCD) is to advise the City, in order to ensure equal opportunity and access to programs, services, and facilities for citizens regardless of disability. Our vision is to make Memphis a city of choice that meets the needs of people with disabilities. In order to accomplish this the MACCD: serves as a resource for providing and sharing information and education pertaining to the needs of individuals with disabilities, ensures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and all applicable legislation, and To dispel myths and remove barriers regarding the capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
Louis Patrick once said “it’s in the committees where the majority of our real work is done.” All of the MACCD committees are open for anyone who has an interest to join. When vacant positions become available, we first look to draft new members from those individuals who serve on our committees. If you are interested in serving on a committee, want to learn when the meetings are held, or what they are working on, you can contact the committee’s chairperson by using the information below.
- Education and Employment: Pat Beane beanepm@scsk12.orgg (662) 231-5034 (Co-chair) Judy Creek judy26creek@gmail.com (901) 517-6063
- Housing and Accessibility: Rita Tait juniper718@ymail.com (502) 777-3983
- Disability Awareness: Christina Clift christina@mcil.org (901) 726-6404
- Transportation: Deborah Carter deborahgm9958@gmail.com (901) 262-1878
- MACCD: Gary Smith gary.smith@tn.gov (901) 745-7213
The Memphis Advisory Council for Citizens with Disabilities (MACCD) is made up of 21 members who live or work in the city of Memphis and who have demonstrated the desire to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Fifty-one percent of the MACCD’s members must be a person with a disability. If you are interested in becoming a member please contact Gary Smith at (901) 745-7213 or via e-mail at gary.smith@tn.gov.
If you would like to follow the MACCD’s progress on making Memphis a city of choice that meets the needs of the disability community, visit our website at http://www.memphistn.gov/Government/General-Services/MAC-for-Citizens-with-Disabilities#MainContent. You will not only find minutes from our meetings, but resources available in the community.
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