2021 Legislative Awards: Honoring and Recognizing Legislators and their Staff for Advancing the Rights of Californians With Disabilities
2021 Legislative Awards: Honoring and Recognizing Legislators and their Staff for Advancing the Rights of Californians With Disabilities
For over a decade, Disability Rights California has recognized and honored legislators and their staff who have advanced the rights, dignity, equal opportunities, and choices for all people with disabilities.
2021 Legislative Awards: Honoring and Recognizing Legislators and their Staff for Advancing the Rights of Californians With Disabilities
For over a decade, Disability Rights California has recognized and honored legislators and their staff who have advanced the rights, dignity, equal opportunities, and choices for all people with disabilities.
Each year, we hold an event to recognize selected legislators and legislative staff for their outstanding legislative work toward advancing disability rights.
Video of Award Ceremony
Our awards ceremony took place virtually on Friday, January 21, 2022. Thank you to everyone who participated!
This year we recognized:
Senator María Elena Durazo for authoring legislation to end paying sub-minimum wages to workers with disabilities, including SB 639 (Chapter 339, Statutes of 2021). SB 639 begins California’s transition to market rate employment starting this year. We would also like to recognize the Senator for enthusiastically participating in a number of webinars and summits in collaboration with Disability Rights California, including the Building Back Better for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit.
Assemblymember Cristina Garcia for authoring several bills to improve the representation and retention of state workers with disabilities, including AB 313 (Chapter 515, Statutes of 2021). AB 313 reforms state hiring practices for workers with disabilities, which was the culmination of over 15 years of grassroots advocacy and a topic she prioritized for several years.
Lamont Gordon, Legislative Aide, Office of Assemblymember Cristina Garcia, for his work as lead staffer of AB 313 (C. Garcia, 2021) and similar measures to improve state hiring practices for workers with disabilities. Lamont led several years of negotiations and overcame legislative hurdles. We appreciate his dedication to the success of this bill and to the advancement of workers with disabilities.
Ryan Guillen, Chief of Staff, Office of Assemblymember Ash Kalra for his years of commitment as lead staffer of AB 323 (Chapter 458, Statutes of 2021) and previous versions of the bill. AB 323 updates long-term care facility citation penalties and standards for negligent care to safeguard nursing home and long-term care facility residents. We also would like to recognize Ryan for his years of dedication to the disability community and commitment to racial justice.
Tara McGee, Legislative Director, Office of Senator Anthony Portantino for her key role in the passage of SB 14 (Chapter 672, Statutes of 2021). SB 14 recognizes mental illness as an excused absence for California’s students and creates a framework for teacher, staff and student training in mental health. We appreciate Tara’s commitment to supporting the mental health of students in California historically and look forward to collaborating again this legislative session on SB 387 (Portantino), a DRC co-sponsored bill and follow up to SB 14.
Dr. Renita Polk, Consultant, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee for her overall efforts staffing the Senate Budget Committee. Dr. Polk ensured the final Budget included items that support Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities including improving service access and equity, systems improvements and accountability, restoration of social camp and recreation services, and keeping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities out of jails and institutions. We applaud Dr. Polk’s commitment to improving the lives and services of people with disabilities and appreciate her availability and advice during the budget process.
Jennifer Richard, Chief of Staff, Office of Senator Durazo for her work as lead staffer of legislation to ensure Disability Rights California’s access to Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities, SB 398 (Chapter 548, Statutes 2019), and legislation eliminating the payment of subminimum wages for persons with disabilities, SB 639 (Durazo, 2021). Her vast expertise in navigating the legislative process and thorough understanding of the policy, legislators, and opposition groups culminated in SB 639’s legislative success this year. We also recognize Jennifer for her decades of work on policies to improve working conditions and treatment of Californians with disabilities.
Each honoree was presented a plaque featuring artwork from artists within the disability community.
This year, we are featuring artists from the non-profit Southside Unlimited.
More information about the studios: https://southsideunlimited.com/
Award honoring María Elena Durazo, Legislator, featuring artwork by A. Navarro.
Award honoring Ryan Guillen, Chief of Staff, Office of Assemblymember Ash Kalra, featuring abstract art by Ted Yeager.