Empowering people with disabili3es to achieve the American dream

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MISSION STATEMENT

RespectAbility is a new na8onal, non-prot, non-par8san organiza8on whose mission is to: 1- Reshape the aCtudes of American society so that people with disabili8es can more fully par8cipate in and contribute to society, and 2- Empower people with disabili8es to achieve as much of the American dream as their abili8es and eorts permit. RespectAbilityUSA will work to educate, sensi8ze and engage Americans to focus on what people with disabili8es can do, rather than on what they cannot. RespectAbilityUSA thereby will seek -- gradually, steadily, and in a prac8cal way -- to help increase the number and percentage of disabled Americans who engage in gainful employment, start and sustain their own businesses, liM themselves into the middle class, and par8cipate in their communi8es -- as fully as their abili8es and eorts will take them.

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FOUNDING CHAIR, DONN WEINBERG

v Past chairman of the Harry and JeaneWe Weinberg Founda8on

v Weinberg Founda8on distributes approx. $100 million a year, key areas include

- Disabili8es - Work place development

v J.D, University of Bal8more School of Law v Editor and chief of Law Review v Board member of Philanthropy

iRoundtable and Jewish Funders Network

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS v Doc Sweitzer, Co-founder and board member - Top poli8cal consultant and AAPC leader - Past chairman of the Advancement CommiWee, and Pennsylvania State System of Higher Educa8on, which iiIrepresents 14 universi8es. v Shelley Cohen, Secretary and board member - Founder of the Jewish Inclusion Project - Co-ini8ated and led Na8onal Summit with Governor Jack Markell - Board member of the New Jersey YM/YWHA camps and Beit iiIIssie Shapiro, Israel's leading special needs organiza8on that iiIservices 30,000 people with disabili8es and their families iiiannually and founding board member of Kesher, a special iiineeds school in South Florida.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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vLouis Zweig, board member - Leader of the Special Needs revolu8on in the Dallas - One of the founders and architects of the Special Needs

Partnership at Jewish Family Service along being the Co-Founder of the Golman/Dallen Fund, which nances teacher training, specialized resources, and awareness in Dallas area schools. Serves on 10 non-prot boards in Dallas.

- Zweig is Senior Vice President Marke8ng and Strategy and Chief of Sta at Glazers, one of the countrys largest beverage distributors.

- Louis and his wife Robin are parents of David with Aspergers Syndrome, as well as a daughter, Lauren.

BOARD OF ADVISORS

v Kelly Buckland Execu8ve Director, Na8onal Council on Independent Living v Steven Eidelman H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Human Services and Leadership at the University of Delaware, and execu8ve director of the Joseph Kennedy Jr. Founda8on

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BOARD OF ADVISORS

v Donna Meltzer CEO of the Na8onal Associa8on of Council on Developmental Disabili8es, and past chair of the Consor8um for Ci8zens with Disabili8es v Steven Tingus Senior ocial for President Bush who not only led the research and policy eort at ED and HHS, but with bipar8san input craMed, unveiled and led the New Freedom Ini8a8ve v Mark Johnson Director of Advocacy of the Shepherd Center

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PRESIDENT, JENNIFER LASZLO MIZRAHI

v Past clients include, White House, prime ministers, more than 60 members of Congress

v Proven non-prot leader who founded successful educa8onal/advocacy organiza8on

v Currently working pro-bono and Mizrahi Family has donated 50K for start-up costs

v Dyslexic (could not read or write un8l she was 12), and proud parent of children with disabili8es

Shelley Cohen, Donn Weinberg, and Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi

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RESPECTABILITY IN-HOUSE TEAM

v Meagan Buren Pollster and strategist v MaDhew Joyce Press secretary v Daphna Oren Director of external aairs v Tonya Koslo Director of administraJon v Hillary Steen Fellow/web 2.0 designer/writer v Kenny Kalman Fellow/database & research v David Cohen Fellow/outreach

Nothing about us without us!

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OUR RESEARCH PARTNERS

v Stanley Greenberg, PhD Served as polling advisor to presidents and prime ministers, CEOs, and dozens of tough campaigns in the US and around the world, including President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, Bri8sh Prime Minister Tony Blair. v Neil Newhouse and Public Opinion Strategies Lead Pollster for Romney for President, Neil has twice been named Pollster of the Year by the American Associa8on of Poli8cal Consultants. v Frank Luntz, Ph.D. Time Magazine named him among 50 of Americas most promising leaders aged 40 and under. Best selling author. Top pollster/wordsmith.

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CONSULTANTS

v Michael R. Shannon Expert in media training and has worked at the highest levels na8onally and interna8onally, helping clients understand how to communicate eec8vely with the media. v Mark Moskowitz Produced, wrote, and directed the media for winning campaigns around the world. v Dan Hazelwood Formed Targeted Crea8ve Communica8ons (TC2), which has worked for campaigns in virtually every state.

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THE CHALLENGE

v57 million Americans with disabili8es. vApproximately 70% of working age Americans with disabili8es dont have jobs.

vThis gure has not changed in the more than 20 years since the passage of Americans with Disabili8es Act (ADA).

vThe disability community can benet from scien8cally proven and unied messages.

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POWER VOTER GROUPS

Supreme Court Change

Immigra8on Vote

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More than half of likely voters are connected to someone with a disability

51 48

Yes, know someone with a disability

No, do not know someone with a disability

Yes! No!

Do you, a family member, or a close friend have a disability?

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Party iden8ca8on

52 58

44 48 42

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Yes No Yes No Yes No

Democrats Independents Republicans

Do you, a family member, or a close friend have a disability?

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Even split on whether government doing enough for those with disabili8es, but few strong feelings

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46

13

44

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Not doing enough Doing enough Don't know

Doing more than enough Not doing anywhere near enough

+2

Thinking about the current policies and programs the US government has to help people with disabili@es, how much is the government doing to help those with disabili@es lead a normal life? Is the government doing more than enough, doing enough, not doing enough, or not doing anywhere near enough to help those with disabili@es lead a normal life?

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No downside for candidates to support policies for those with disabili8es

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55 41

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More likely Less likely No difference

Much more likely! Much less likely!

Would you be more or less likely to vote for a Congressional candidate who is commiDed to making policies and programs to help those with disabili@es a na@onal priority, or would it make no dierence to your vote?

+41

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THE OPPORTUNITY

vToday, many nonprot disability groups are perceived to lean leM. Websites detail government ac8ons that can oMen be summed up as give us more money, instead of enable more solu8ons.

vAmericans with a broad variety of disabili8es have more in common with each other than not.

vWe will showcase best prac8ces and case studies of

people with disabili8es who are working and making a dierence.

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PARTNER 1: DISABILITY LEADERS

vRespectAbility will partner with exis8ng nonprot disability organiza8ons and leaders.

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PARTNER 2: ELECTED OFFICIALS, POLICY MAKERS & POLITICAL CONSULTANTS

v Posi8ve change will require strong bipar8san coopera8on needed as well as public-private partnerships.

v Elected ocials need to see Americans with disabili8es as a powerful voter group.

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers

Senator Tom Harkin

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Congressman Pete Sessions

Congressman Brad Sherman and Lisa Sherman

PARTNER 3: PRIVATE SECTOR

v Walgreens, Bank of America, Marriot, Disney, Time Warner and AMC Theaters among others have found they can do good and do well, at the same 8me.

vhWp://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=4272981&page=1#.UcyOVD7wKA0

vhWp://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/19562689#19562689

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PARTNER 4: MEDIA

v Lens through which hundreds of millions of Americans see people with disabili8es.

v Experiencing drama8c transforma8on - fewer

reporters, thus relying more on informa8on packaged by outside groups.

v We will shine a spotlight on companies that are using the talents of people with disabili8es to achieve a beWer boWom line.

v RespectAbility will work with disability groups and experts to educate the media so that their coverage can inspire posi8ve change.

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PARTNER 5: FAITH - BASED GROUPS

vNumerous leaders in religious tradi8ons had a disability or other limita8on in one form or another.

vReligious leaders have previously been at the forefront of civil rights in America, and can do much more to help people with disabili8es.

vCongrega8ons can be recruited and trained to be volunteer job coaches who can help teens and young adults with disabili8es get and maintain their rst internships and jobs.

vFaith-based groups can do much by walking the walk on inclusion, not just talking the talk.

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PARTNER 6: PHILANTHROPISTS

vPhilanthropists play a major role in making the world a beWer place, however, few have yet to signicantly use their resources to benet people with disabili8es.

vEven those who do not provide funding in this sector can

make a tremendous posi8ve dierence if they request that their grantees explore ways of becoming more inclusive of people with disabili8es.

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PARTNER 7: INNOVATIONS/MAKE WORKING EASIER

vResearch and technology facilitates independence vAssis8ve technology enabling people to talk vNote controversy between medical model vs. disability pride

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Murray Siegel

PARTNER 8: HOLLYWOOD/CELEBS

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RespectAbility TACTICS:

v Use top experts in strategic communica8ons and the latest in public opinion research (including focus groups and polls) to understand the hopes, dreams and challenges of Americans with disabili8es, and then translate that informa8on straight to policymakers in Washington and leaders across America.

v Seek and vet cost-eec8ve best prac8ces to help people with disabili8es

achieve independence. v Use sophis8cated strategic communica8ons to share best prac8ces with

decision-makers including government ocials, other policy makers, campaign consultants, media, philanthropists, CEOs, human resource directors, job creators, clergy, nonprot and leaders in other arenas.

We will not lobby, do direct service or endorse candidates!

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TACTICS: RESEARCH, STRATEGY AND MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT

v Strategy and Message Development v Polling v Focus Groups & Dial Tes8ng v Press Advance v Spin-Control v Op-ed Wri8ng and Placement v Desksides v Booking Interviews v Social Media Campaigns

President Bill Clinton

President George W. Bush

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TACTICS: PAID MEDIA, PSAs & PRESS RELATIONS

v GeCng the Press You need fsto Win v Media Coaching and Debate IPrepara8on v Podcasts & Radio IAdver8sing v Television Adver8sing v Campaign Organiza8on

Sean Hannity and Meagan Buren

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TACTICS: ADVOCACY & CAMPAIGN TRAINING SEMINARS

v Grassroots lobbying v Fundraising v Research v Communica8on v Management v Media v What will win hearts and Iminds for your issue

v Unlocking the poten8al of gyour ac8vist.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Ambassador John Bolton and Meagan Buren

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TACTICS: TRAINING TARGETING, VOTER FILES

AND LIST DEVELOPMENT

vCampaign Literature: Brochures, LeWers and Leaets

vDirect Mail vWeb, Social Media and

Newspaper Ads vPhone Banks & Robo

Calls vField, Rallies and Events vGet Out the Vote

(GOTV) v Interac8ve Workshops/

Campaign Simula8ons

\

Meagan Buren and President Bill Clinton

Rep. Eric Cantor

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TACTIC: INSIDER BRIEFINGS

I have known and worked with Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi for over two decades. She runs the sharpest seminars on what makes Washington and the media tick.

-Eleanor Clift, Newsweek

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Bill Kristol, Clarence Page and Eleanor CliM Shelley Cohen and Gov. Markell

TACTIC: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

Rep. Paul Ryan

Gov. Jeb Bush

Gov. MiW Romney President Barack Obama

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Vice President Joe Biden

SoS. Hillary Clinton

TACTIC: RECRUITING NEW LEADERSHIP

v Posi8ve change will require strong ibipar8san coopera8on needed as well as ipublic-private partnerships.

v Elected ocials need to see iAmericans with disabili8es as a ipowerful voter group.

David Axelrod

Senator Rick Santorum

Gov. Sarah Palin and Kenny Kalman

Gov. Sarah Palin and Anil Lewis

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POLITICAL CONVENTIONS AND DEBATES

Journalists and Guests

Stan Greenberg, PhD & Frank Luntz, PhD 36

NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION AUG 2-5

DISABILITY EMPOWERMENT

Governor Jack Markell of Delaware Chair, National Governors Association

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Nuts & Bolts of Winning Media & Political Strategies to Help People with Disabilities Achieve the American

Dream A special training for CEOs and Communications Directors from National Disability Organizations

July 16, 2013 from 9 am-4 pm in Washington, DC

Confirmed Speakers include:

Lanny Davis An insiders look at how an evolving crisis can be solved. Rick Dunham How to Build Your Brand and Your Online Community via Social Media. Dr. Whit Ayres Winning Hearts and Minds of Conservative Voters. Erica Seifert Top issues for voters and Americans with disabilities. Doc Sweitzer Building a Winning Organization, Strategy and Media. Congressman Pete Sessions Empowering Americans with disabilities to achieve the American Dream.

JULY 16TH TRAINING EVENT

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1. Spread the word to people who care www.RespectAbilityUSA.org

LIKE www.facebook.com/RespectAbilityUSA FOLLOW hWps://twiWer.com/Respect_Ability 1. Get trained yourself 2. Volunteer full 8me in our oce 3. Recruit people of all abili8es for our board of directors 4. Donate now Empowering people with disabili3es to achieve the American

dream

HOW YOU CAN HELP

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TAX DEDUCTABLE DONATIONS VIA THE AUTISM-SOCIETY OF AMERICA

While RespectAbilityUSA is awai8ng a nal separate IRS approval we are opera8ng as a project of the Au8sm Society of America. Make checks to RespectAbilityUSA at:

RespectAbilityUSA, a Project of the AuJsm Society 4340 East-West Hwy, Suite 350

Bethesda, MD 20814

www.RespectAbilityUSA.org Phone: (240) 744 0546 Cell: (202) 365 0787

JenniferM@RespectAbilityUSA.org 40