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. Read the latest blog posts from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Check out the most popular infographics and videos, View the photo of the day and other galleries, Tune in to White House events and statements as they happen, See the lineup of artists and performers at the White House, Eisenhower Executive Office Building Tour, Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs Rebecca Blank. This discrimination is what inspired her to become a lawyer. My mother was my most influential role model. She was one of the only approximately fifty qualified deaf lawyers in the U.S. and Canada back then. She taught me about the unbelievable power of faith and love. 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). 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. View the profiles of people named Claudia Gordon. In 2004, she was named secretary of the Board for the Lexington Board of Directors. The discrimination, that she experienced in Jamaica and in general, inspired her to become a lawyer. Teaming up with others who have similar disabilities and being vocal about your needs are necessary in order to be properly prepared., American Bar Association Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Some cited my deafness as an obstacle rendering it impractical if not impossible to pursue a law degree. In an interview she makes a point that there was a deaf intern working in the White House before her, and that there are currently other deaf people working in less prestigious positions in the White House, Claudia Gordon has been active in both the black deaf community and the broader disability community. Claudia L. Gordon, Esq. What inspired you to pursue your field of interest? Her mother immigrated to the South Bronx so that she could earn It was there that I confronted the truth that passing legislation is one thing but actual implementation with enforcement is another. Top Deals This Week: Save on Paramount+, Showtime, HBO Max, Fire TV, and Roku, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Is Now Available to Stream on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Slashed Prices on all Sorts of Fire TV Stick Models, Amazon Fire Tablets on Sale: Save up to 45%, The Ultimate Guide to What to Watch on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and More in March 2023, Amazon Prime Video's New Shows and Movies in March, 8 Shows Like The Last of Us to Watch While You Wait for the Next Episode, 9 Shows Like Ginny & Georgia to Watch After You Finish Season 2, 12 Intense Thriller Shows and Movies to Watch If You Like Squid Game, 9 Shows Like Fringe to Watch If You Like Fringe, Here's When Yellowstone Will Return for Season 5 Part 2, Pedro Pascal Has an Update for Last of Us Season 2 Filming, Everything to Know About The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2, Amazon Exec Teases a Release Date for Reacher Season 2, Everything You Need to Know About Euphoria Season 3. 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. Born in Jamaica, Claudia became deaf at age 8. While working with impoverished and minority deaf people, she became attracted to the prospect of working in a Federal office. Princess (she/her-bisexual) is a Brooklyn born Megan Fox truther, who loves Sailor Moon, mythology, and diversity within sci-fi/fantasy. 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. I want to take the opportunity to remind you all; just in case some" Find your friends on Facebook. Benally is also involved with the National Congress of American Indians, Disability Sub-Committee. Secretary Hilda Solis has laid out a pretty straightforward mission for our department: Good Jobs for Everyone. My aunt Mildred was also a very important role model, along with my grandmother Viola Parsons. 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. While at Lexington, Claudia Gordon learned sign language, participated in sports, and became a top student. She was instrumental in drafting and implementing an executive order on Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness. February 29, 2016 by Sue Ann Rodriquez 1 Comment. She was the vice president of the National Black Deaf Advocates. Claudia is a Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). At 11, she moved to the United States and attended Lexington School for the Deaf in New York. Find where to watch Claudia L. Gordon's latest movies and tv shows Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. 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. When Hurricane Katrina hit, Gordons efforts to ensure that the needs of disabled people were met in hurricane relief efforts earned her both the Gold Medal Award and the 2005 Hurricane Response Award from the Secretary of Homeland Security, Claudia Gordon has been active in both the black deaf community and the broader disability community. At the time, she was in the care of her elder sister Mildred Taylor, a teacher. After two years of no education, Claudia and her mother immigrated to New York. Despite various obstacles in America, individuals with disabilities comparatively have better opportunities here than in most other countries. Previously she held a position in the White House Office of Public Engagement as the Public Engagement Advisor to the Disability Community for less than a year Claudia Gordon a trailblazer who reminds us that immigrants, they get the job done. 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. Born in Jamaica, Gordon went deaf around the age of eight years old after she suddenly developed severe pain in her middle ears. 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. Director of Government and Compliance with T-Mobile Accessibility. 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. The Registered Agent on file for this company is Claudia L Gordon and is located at 108 W James Street, Blue Ridge, TX 75424. 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. She is also a Member of Disability Lead. Senior Accessibility Strategy Partner at T-Mobile Speaker, Consultant, Mentor Seen in Obama White House, Google, BBC, Washington Post, and TED Talk ("Owning Otherness"). When she graduated from the school in 2000, she became the first known deaf black American woman to earn a Juris Doctor. See Claudia L Gordon's compensation, career history, education, & memberships. I thought I was the only deaf person in the world. 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. American University Washington College of Law, American University, Washington College of Law, United States Department of Homeland Security, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, American Association of People with Disabilities, United States Secretary of Homeland Security, List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States, "Employee Spotlight: Disability Awareness Starts with All of Us and Benefits All of Us TMobile Newsroom", "Meet the Women of the Administration: Claudia Gordon", "Claudia Gordon: America's First Deaf Black Woman Lawyer is Jamaican Born", "Claudia Gordon: 1st African American Female Deaf Lawyer", "NCD Applauds Appointment of Claudia Gordon as Public Engagement Advisor at the White House", "Skadden Fellows | Skadden Fellowship Foundation", "Disability Rights Campaigner, Claudia Gordon, joins DeafKidz International as Global Ambassador", "Trustee Appointed to White House Office of Public Engagement", "President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to Attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Summer Games", "Previous AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award Recipients", "| U.S. Deseo toda la felicidad del mundo para ti , alegrias , risas y mucha" While in her eldest sisters care, Claudia suddenly developed severe pain in her middle ears and was taken to a small clinic. 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. Gordon shared her ongoing quest to create spaces in society for seldom-heard voices in her TEDx Talk: Owning Otherness.[35]. Claudia L. Gordon is the first deaf African-American female attorney in the United States. Born in Jamaica, Gordon went deaf around the age of eight years old after she suddenly developed severe pain in her middle ears. Born in Jamaica, Gordon became deaf at the 8 years old after having sharp pains in her ears. 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. - Gordon, Obama White House, 30 August 2010[5]. Emailus. Aries Model. 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. Please enable JavaScript to use this feature. Claudia Gordon is a lot of things. Daily Practice 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. To get to know aboutClaudia, her career, and her inspirations read the following Q and A with her. She was deaf at the age of eight. 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. She'll tell you she's the first Black, deaf woman attorney in the United States. She was given some antibiotics but she eventually became deaf. [26] She has served on multiple boards, including American Association of People with Disabilities[27] and Gallaudet University. 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." [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. [11], After law school, Gordon was awarded a two-year fellowship with Skadden Fellowship Foundation. She assisted in the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness, monitoring how Federal agencies worked together to ensure that deaf and disabled persons were included in emergency-preparedness plans. [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. 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. 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. 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. Happy Black History Month! 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. One problem we still find is that those who create emergency preparedness plans need to realize that the disability community is not homogeneous. [16], Before joining T-Mobile to lead strategies for disability-inclusive culture and accessible work environment,[17] Gordon was a Senior Manager of Government and Compliance at Sprint. She is a former staff attorney with the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center and have also worked as a consulting attorney with the National Council on Disability. 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.