A Wise Latina, Walk Now for Autism & More
"We must become the change we wish to see in
the world."
--Mahatma Gandhi Los Angeles: Diego Gamboa lives in Los Angeles with his young son Gabriel who is enrolled in an L. A. County public school where he attends special classes. This has been a very stressful school year for Gabriel whose dad was recently advised that because of budget cuts his son will be transferred to another school, making this move his third in less than nine months. These moves can be very disruptive for any child, but especially so for a child like Gabriel who has autism, a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a
person’s lifetime and for which there is no medical detection or cure. The fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U. S., autism occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe. Today, one in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined, yet autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases. One organization dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, to funding research into the causes, prevention and treatments for autism is Autism Speaks, which also advocates for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Among its various fundraising activities, Autism Speaks sponsors the nation's largest grassroots autism walk program. Walk Now for Autism is the organization's signature fundraising and awareness event, taking place in communities across the United States, as well as in Canada and the United Kingdom. This Year, Gabriel's dad, Diego is participating in the Autism Walk set for Saturday, September 26 in San Diego (Mission Bay Park of San Diego, De Anza Cove Area, 3000 East Mission Drive in North Mission Bay). Registration opens: 8 a.m. Walk Start: 9:30 a.m. Parking is free at the De Anza Cove parking lot. The event, sponsored nationally by Toys R Us and Babies R Us, is a family-friendly event for the entire family. There are activities for the children, resources for families, light refreshments and entertainment.
Recognizing a need for more research and the vital need for an appropriate educational setting for autistic children, Diego Gamboa is determined to help make a difference. His goal is to raise $1,000 for his participation in the Walk Now for Autism event. He has already raised about $756.00, so he has just a little bit more to go and if he exceeds it, so much the better.
To help Diego Gamboa reach his goal and support his participation in this event that benefits hundreds of autistic children, simply make a donation in his name. . To do so, go to his donor page: http://www.walknowforautism.org/sandiego/guamboas?faf=1&e=2432867316 .
For more information regarding autism, go to: www.autismspeaks.org.
In her speech, which she delivered at the
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Sotomayor remarked – “I
would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would
more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t
lived that life.”
Well, one sentence does not an entire speech
make, nor should it. Furthermore, she has not been the first, nor will she be
the last, to state what is fundamentally what we all experience in reaching
resolutions in both our private and professional lives. How many times haven’t
we taken into account a personal experience when facing a decision we must make
when it comes to the future of others, such as our co-workers, and our own families? That is not to say that we will bend
the rules because of the empathy we may feel, because in the final analysis, the
decision we make must take into account the best interests of those affected by
the responsible parties who must pay the consequences of their deeds or misdeeds.
Sonia Sotomayor is not a racist. She is a “wise Latina” who is not the first to address the effect background and personal experiences have on judicial decision-making. Both Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas have gone on record acknowledging that their personal background and experiences have not only shaped them as a person, but have had an impact on their judicial thinking.
Alito acknowledged that his experiences of his
immigrant parents often came into play when hearing immigration and
naturalization cases or cases involving children or discrimination. In these cases, he can’t help but think of his own ancestors or children or think about the
people in his own family “who suffered discrimination because of their ethnic
background or because of religion or because of gender. And I do take that into account,” he
said. However, he asserted, “…
it’s my job to apply the law. It’s
not my job to change the law or to bend the law to achieve any result.”
And when Thomas was asked during his Supreme
Court confirmation hearings why he wanted the job, he replied, “I believe,
Senator (Kohl), that I can make a
contribution, that I can bring something different to the Court, that I can
walk in the shoes of the people who are affected by what the Court does.”
Is their thinking that much different from that of Sotomayor who also spoke to the importance of diversity in her speech when she stated, ”…we should not be so myopic as to believe that others of different experiences or backgrounds are incapable of understanding the values and needs of people from a different group. Many are so capable."
There is no doubt that Sotomayor’s impeccable credentials and experience – a Princeton undergrad, Yale Law School, an editor on the Yale Law Journal, experience as a prosecutor and years of service on the federal bench – make her an ideal candidate for confirmation. And when that happens, the Supreme Court nominee, who became the youngest judge in the Southern District and the first Hispanic federal judge anywhere in New York State, will achieve another first as the court’s first Hispanic justice.
She will also join other "wise" women of many different races and cultures who have relentlessly beat the odds, bore the brunt of their critics, and valiantly stood their ground to achieve many firsts and emerge victorious.
BURBANK: Little Miss Hailey is moving on. Be sure to check out her new page: My Fifth Grade Promotion.
NEXT POST: Coming soon. Stay Tuned.
