AAPD HEARNE LEADERSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM
Each year, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) recognizes outstanding emerging leaders with disabilities who exemplify leadership, advocacy, and dedication to and for the broader disability community. Two individuals, who are emerging as leaders in the crossdisability civil rights movement, will each receive $5,000 to help them continue their progress and further connect their work with the national outreach of AAPD. The recipients of the 2015
Hearne Leadership Awards will also have an opportunity to present the story of their work as well as attend and network with national civil-rights leaders at the AAPD Leadership Gala in
Washington, DC on March 11, 2015.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
Any U.S. resident who self-identifies as an individual with any type of disability is invited to apply.
An “emerging leader” is defined as someone who has demonstrated leadership qualities in his/her personal and professional life, and who has dedicated his/her passion to the pursuit of inclusion, equality and justice for all people with disabilities. The ideal candidate is an advocate, teacher, mentor, and leader within the disability community, and someone who is recognized as such by his/her peers. Recipients of the 2015 Hearne Leadership Award must demonstrate:
● Leadership achievements that show a positive impact on the broader community of people with all disabilities;
● Connections they have made between individuals with disabilities and others in their communities;
● A positive vision for the disability community and a continuing commitment to their pursuit of that vision;
● The demonstrated ability to collaborate with other leaders, to follow when necessary, and to cultivate new leaders within their organizations and communities; and,
● The potential to contribute to the disability rights movement at a national level.
AAPD encourages emerging leaders with disabilities of any age to apply. The previous awardees represent a diverse group of people with many different disabilities aged 11 to 56.
Former honorees have assumed leadership positions in diverse organizations and agencies, including but not limited to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Council on
Independent Living, Access Living in Chicago, Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered, Mental
Disability Rights International, and the U.S. Department of Justice. For more information on many of the past awardees and what they have accomplished since receiving this award, please visit AAPD’s web site at www.aapd.com
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AAPD HONORS A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP
Paul G. Hearne was a strong advocate and visionary leader with a lifelong disability who achieved success as a nonprofit executive, foundation president, federal agency director, and mentor to countless people with disabilities. A passionate advocate for increased employment of people with disabilities, Paul opened doors for thousands through his leadership of Just One
Break, an employment agency for people with disabilities in New York City, and The Dole
Foundation for Employment of People with Disabilities in Washington, DC.
In addition to sharing his expertise and working as an advocate, Paul also used his wonderful sense of humor and positive outlook on life to “win people over” in many situations. Until he died in 1998, Paul was consumed with two burning passions: to create a national association to give people with disabilities more consumer power and a stronger public voice and to cultivate potential leaders to carry on the disability rights movement. Paul achieved his first goal during his lifetime with the 1995 creation of AAPD, now recognized as the largest and fastest growing force for organizing the disability community to be a powerful voice for change.
The Milbank Foundation for Rehabilitation established The Paul G. Hearne Leadership Awards in 1999 to honor their friend and former board member, and to help realize Paul’s second goal by helping to find and support emerging leaders with disabilities. In 2000, the administration of the Hearne Leadership awards program was turned over to AAPD.
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APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCEDURES:
To be considered for the AAPD Paul G. Hearne Leadership Award, candidates must submit all information in an accessible document according to the following instructions, including answers to essay questions within the designated word limits. If these word limits are exceeded, only the designated amount will be considered. Candidates must ensure they address all of the selection criteria, as well as include two (2) letters – one (1) letter of commitment from the mentor who is prepared to work with the applicant in pursuing his/her leadership goals, and one (1) letter of professional recommendation.
Please note that, to avoid conflicts of interest, applications will be rejected if the mentor or supportive colleague is a member of the National Advisory Committee for the award, or a member of the Board or staff of AAPD, or a relative of any of these individuals.
Members of AAPD Board and AAPD staff are listed on the AAPD website at: www.aapd.com
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Recipients of the 2015 Hearne Award must meet the following obligations:
● Attend the AAPD Leadership Gala on March 11, 2015 in Washington, DC and participate in a gathering for emerging leaders with disabilities on the day following the Gala;
● Submit a quarterly report on the recipient’s leadership activities and provide periodic updates on leadership activities and accomplishments throughout the year;
● Present your work to the 2015 AAPD summer internship class
● Actively promote The Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards program as well as other signature programs, such as AAPD’s Disability Equality Index (in collaboration with
USBLN), Disability Mentoring Day, and the Summer Internship Program, to help grow the strength and outreach of AAPD nationally
● Participate in the Paul G. Hearne Award 2015-2016 review committee of finalists
Submissions must be returned to awards@aapd.com
with all documents attached in an accessible format.
If you require an alternative format of this application, please contact awards@aapd.com
. Faxed applications will not be accepted. Please contact awards@aapd.com
with questions or requests for accommodations.
All eligible applications will be evaluated by a review team selected by AAPD. The review team will identify semi-finalists who will be asked to participate in telephone interviews. The top semifinalists will be recommended for further evaluation by the National Advisory Committee. The
National Advisory Committee will make recommendations to the AAPD Board of Directors, who will ultimately select the winners.
Applications must be RECEIVED by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on January 2nd, 2015. No late applications will be accepted. All applications and supporting documents must be submitted in an accessible format. Inaccessible submissions will not be considered.
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Please submit to AAPD the following: your contact information, your answers to the five (5) essay questions, and your two (2) letters of support.
APPLICANT INFORMATION:
Name (as you would like it to appear on official documentation, if selected):
___________________________________________________________
Title/Organization:_____________________
Street Address: ___________________________
City:________________________ State: _____ Zip: ________________
Telephone/TTY/Fax:_____________________
E-mail:_______________________
Preferred method for contact: Telephone / Relay / Video Relay / Skype
Other:______________________________
Please check to attest:
☐
I am a person with a disability
☐
I am a veteran of the United States military
AAPD is committed to selecting award recipients who are diverse with respect to disability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, veteran status, and age. You are not required to complete this section
. To ensure AAPD’s outreach is connecting with a diverse group of applicants, you may choose to share with us your:
Disability:_________________ Sexual orientation ________________ Gender: ___________
Veteran:_________________ Race or ethnicity: ___________________ Age: ____________
In order for us to continue to improve our outreach and dissemination, please let us know how you heard about this awards program/and or received the application: ___________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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ESSAY QUESTIONS:
Answer each question below within the specified word limit.
1. Why did you apply for the Paul G. Hearne award? What qualifies you as an emerging leader? (300 words)
2. Through the leadership of Paul G. Hearne and other advocates, the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990. What has the ADA meant to you? As we approach the 25th anniversary of the ADA, what do you believe are the most pressing issues that remain today for people with disabilities? How does your work focus seek to address these issues? (600 words)
3. How does your work align with the mission and goals of AAPD? ( 300 words )
4. What has been your proudest accomplishment? What leadership qualities did you exhibit to succeed in this endeavor and what affect did it have on other people? (350 words)
5. Based on your work to date, what is the most complex problem you have faced professionally and what strategies did you use to find a solution to the issue? (300 words)
LETTERS OF SUPPORT:
Applicants must also attach two (2) letters of support.
● One (1) letter from a professional reference who can attest to the impact of your work on the local community, and the importance of your work for the broader national disability community; and,
● One (1) letter from a mentor or supportive colleague who is committed to working closely with you during your year as a Hearne Award Laureate, and who addresses your qualifications for the award, your commitment to pursuing your personal leadership goals, and the specific ways in which he/she will mentor you in achieving those goals.
Applications will not be considered until both letters have been received by AAPD. Thus, we strongly advise attaching your two (2) letters directly to your application. Please ensure that both references provide a way for AAPD to contact them.
Note: We are not able to consider any materials in excess of these requirements.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
If you have any additional questions, please contact AAPD
Email: awards@aapd.com
Phone: 202-457-0046 (voice/TTY) or 1-800-840-8844 (voice/TTY)
REQUESTS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS:
Please contact AAPD, by phone 1-800-840-8844 (V/TTY) or 202-457-0046 (V/TTY), or by email at awards@aapd.com
, to request alternate formats of this application or request any accommodations.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 2nd, 2015, 5:00pm Eastern Time
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