I have to be honest with you right up front.  This speech that I’m about to give is not the first one that I wrote for this occasion.  My initial attempt was filled with facts, figures and percentages.  It was a good speech, but it lacked the true emotion and deep passion that’s been rising up within me for sometime now.  So I’ve decided to scrap that version for this one and talk to you in a way that sometimes only a Navy Chief Petty Officer can – straight and to the point. 

Disability awareness is on the rise around the world.  Google “cerebral palsy” and you’ll find a wealth of information that was unavailable just a few short years ago.  Social media sites have allowed parents of special needs children to connect and serve as a platform to share common experiences.  National campaigns such as the one we are kicking off today are key in addressing vital issues that those within the handicapped community face daily – ones of inclusion, employment and equal opportunity. 

 Conferences, seminars and increased public discussion help shed needed light on a segment of society that I believe many people think are beyond help.   We need to change that perception throughout the land and to do it we need your assistance.  Consider this your call to action.  

If you think that one-person taking action cannot make a difference, let me give you an example of where it did:

 In the 7^th grade, I was on my junior high school wrestling team.  It was about two weeks into the season and I was struggling.  You see I was born with cerebral palsy, which is a brain disorder that affects the muscles in my body.  My brain does not send all the signals that my body needs in order to function as smoothly as I would like.  Because of this, I have to put thought behind every movement.  When I want to walk, I tell myself, “Pick up your foot and set it down; pick up your foot and set it down.”  There’s a little delay in this process that I describe as having a dial-up modem for my body while everyone else is running on high-speed broadband.

A delay on the wrestling mat is definitely what you don’t want to have.  Successful wrestlers move gracefully, anticipate moves ahead of their opponent, and are able to think quickly on their feet.  Thin, weak and moving around the mat with as much grace as a box of rocks, I was short on natural talent, but long on desire.  I had made the decision to keep my handicap to myself because I just wished to be part of a team and not become, “that wrestler with cerebral palsy.”

 One day the coach called me into his office to tell me that I was cut from the squad and needed to clean out my locker.  

 I had tears in my eyes as I left the office, only to find the school’s best wrestler and 8^th grader, Phil Freeman sitting there, taking off his wrestling shoes.  When I told Phil that I’d been cut from the team, he looked at me for about five seconds, stood up and marched directly into the coach’s office.  Coming out a couple minutes later, Phil informed me that I was still on the team.  I didn’t find out what was said until many years later, but Phil told the coach, “If John goes, then I go with him.”  Imagine an 8^th grader putting it all on the line for a 7^th grader, one that he met only a couple of weeks earlier. 

 That, my friends, is action.

 My parents took action in their own unique way as well.  No, they didn’t have to fight the fight that so many special needs parents wage for their children – the one with school boards, testing agencies and hospital administrators.  My folks took action by simply allowing me to try things.  They let me be a kid.  Their guidance to me was simple: Get outside and play.  I fell down (a lot), scraped my knees and got into trouble with my seven brothers and sisters.  My parents allowed me to try anything that I wanted as long as I was willing to work hard and as my dad would often say, “Don’t come home cryin.” 

 So they said, “Yes” when I wanted to join that wrestling team and yes when I told them that I wanted to join the United States Navy.  I think they had their fingers crossed behind their backs for that one! 

 My point here is that my parents allowed me to try – to seek inclusion on my own terms and in turn, find my place in this world.  Society could learn a valuable lesson from Edgar and Shirley Quinn.

 I took action by opening the door to that recruiter’s office in 1981 and further, by keeping my cerebral palsy hidden from military officials.  I made this decision for two reasons.  One, I didn’t think the Navy would let me enlist, and two - much more important to me was the idea that I didn’t want any special treatment or favors.  I didn’t want to be known as, “That sailor with cerebral palsy.”  I was seeking inclusion on a level playing field. 

 Much like the wrestling team, all I wanted was a chance to prove myself.  And for the next twenty years, the Navy put me out on the mat saying, “Go ahead, kid, lets see what ya got.”  And prove myself I did, serving around the world on two aircraft carriers, a battleship, destroyers and more.  I stood every watch, fought every fire and performed at the highest levels.  I’m proud of my time in the service. 

 One of the first questions people ask when they hear that I served in the Navy with cerebral palsy is, “How were you able to accomplish this?”  Looking back on my time in the navy, I realize I took the proper action to achieve success.  Working with the Navy SEALs early in my career showed me ways that I could get stronger, both mentally and physically.  I took those lessons and apply them into my daily life still today.  I also became very good at my job which earned me a reputation throughout the fleet as someone who could be relied on in any situation.  Having people focus on my skill as an administrator kept the focus off of any physical limitations that I sometimes let show through. 

 When I retired from the Navy, I could have gone the traditional route of many of my shipmates by getting a job in the defense-contracting world.  I almost did.  The offers were there.  All I had to do was say yes.  But then I met a young boy with cerebral palsy and everything changed.  Trevor looked at me, a successful man with the same condition as himself, in such a way that I soon realized that I had an obligation to try and share my story with the rest of the world.  I took action and started writing the very next week. 

 I often wonder if what would have happened if I told the truth about my cerebral palsy from the very start.  Would the Navy allowed me to enlist?  I got my answer shortly after my memoir; Someone Like Me – An Unlikely Story of Challenge and Triumph Over Cerebral Palsy was released.  Young men and women from around the country contacted me seeking my advice.  They all wanted an answer to this question, “I have a mild disability and want to serve my country.  Should I keep it a secret as you did?” 

 My response was always the same.  No.  Speak the truth.  It’s the best course of action.  Come to find out that might not be the case after learning that these young kids are not even being allowed to take the military entrance physical.  They are being left out on the sidewalk, frustrated in their desire to serve their country. 

 Let me be clear, I’m not asking for a lowering of standards to allow entry.  As someone who has stood the watch, I fully understand and support tough standards for military enlistment.  What I’m asking for is simply this.  Allow them to try. 

 Sadly, that’s not happening in the military or civilian workplace.  There’s a reason why the employment participation rate for people with disabilities is at a shockingly low 21 percent.  Employers are fearful of people who are disabled.  They see someone in a wheelchair or using a prostatic and automatically think that individual is less capable than an abled-bodied person.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  People with disabilities have been proven to be some of the hardest working, most dependable workers out there today. 

 I have a mentally challenged brother and sister who get up and go to work every day.  They both take great pride in their jobs and love being able to contribute to society.  Their employer would certainly attest to their value.  They come in to work on time, always dressed appropriately, are unfailingly polite and respectful, and work hard without complaint.  You should see their smiles as they cash those paychecks! 

 I believe this country must do a better job employing people with disabilities.  The Navy told me never to state a problem without offering a solution, so here are a few suggestions for employers:

  - Conduct a “disability audit” of your company, business or organization to ensure strict compliance to federal law.  The U.S. Small Business Administration in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice publishes the Americans with Disability Act Guide to Small Business.  On it, employers will find specific ways to improve service for those with disabilities by addressing such issues as:

  - Physical removal of barriers and obstructions in parking lots. 

  - Handicap parking space guidelines. 

  - Proper door width to ensure easy wheelchair accessibility in both front entryways and company restrooms.

- Proper isle width and counter height. 

  - Employee training. 

  - How to better promote businesses to those with disabilities. 

Although some of these needed adaptations sound expensive, most changes can be made relatively inexpensively and there are tax credits available to help businesses defer larger construction costs. 

To those in the manufacturing sector, I suggest that you take a look at your companies product, whether its computers, pickup trucks or microwave ovens.  Ever thought of coming out with a line of products to fit the specific needs of the disabled community?

I read a letter last month that a high school student by the name of Matt Walzer recently wrote Nike.  Matt has cerebral palsy, which affects the muscles in his hands making it impossible for him to tie his shoes.  Matt asked Nike to come out with a line of basketball or running shoes with an auto-lacing closure system to secure his feet.  What a great idea – and one that I believe speaks to the untapped potential of modifying existing products directly to the disability community. 

If I was going to start a business today and was looking for employees, I would turn my attention to the highly capable pool of talent that is our nation’s veterans.  Three words that veterans of this great country know very well are courage, honor and commitment.  To those who have worn the uniform of our nation, these words have meaning, depth and feeling.  Veterans have lived them on the beaches of Normandy, the jungles of Vietnam, and in the searing desert of Iraq.  When a young man or woman willingly raises their right hand and swears an oath to protect and defend this nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic, they are demonstrating, for the entire world to see, the true meaning of sacrifice.  By hiring former members of our military, employers are gaining skilled employees who take the values that they carried on the battlefield and can apply them directly into your business.  There are several tax credits available for businesses that hire veterans including the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 and the Returning Heroes Act.  I strongly encourage employers to hire a veteran today – I believe it’s one of the best investments a company can make.

There was a time in our nation’s history when segregation ruled the land.  People of color were not allowed to eat at the same counter or drink from the same water fountain as their neighbors.  Women were not allowed to vote or serve in combat.  Gay and lesbians were allowed to join the military as long as they followed “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”  With the passing of laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, we’ve come a long way as a nation, but I feel that we have a long way to go.  Just like the civil rights struggles of the 50’s and 60’s, I believe we are on the verge of a disability rights movement heading into this decade. 

This movement is one where people with disabilities are looked at as equals throughout society, where wheelchairs and prosthetics vanish before employer’s eyes and people are judged on their abilities – not their disabilities.   It’s time to make this a reality in the workplace. 

 The National Council on Disability (NCD) Chairman, Jonathon Young agrees.  Last month, and as stated on their website, the NCD released its annual progress report on national disability policy. The report notes progress where it has occurred and makes recommendations to both the executive and legislative branches where necessary. 

The Chairman states “In the current era of fiscal restraint, our nation’s long-term fiscal stability depends, in part, on creating meaningful opportunities for Americans with disabilities to contribute to our nation’s collective well-being and eliminating policies that trap people with disabilities in cycles of poverty and dependence.  The Chairman goes on to say that, “Effective coordination and collaboration of supports and services that meet individual needs has never been more essential.  We need to increase access and opportunity for our nation going forward. Failure to do so not only jeopardizes the lives of people with disabilities; it also threatens our national recovery.”

I couldn’t agree more and I urge you to join Chairman Young and myself in this effort to increase disability access and opportunity across the nation.  All you need is an open mind and the willingness to take action. 

The Declaration of Independence states that, “All men are created equal…” and I agree. 

But without action, those powerful words are quickly reduced to just another slogan. 

Oh, and that 8^th grader?  The one that stood up for me to the wrestling coach?  Phil Freeman is now the Assistant Superintendent of the fourth largest school district in the state of Michigan.  He stands up for 17,000 children everyday.  How do I know this?  Well, Phil and I have been best friends for the past 40 years and talk daily on the phone.  When my publisher asked me who I wanted to dedicate Someone Like Me to, let’s just say one name stood above the rest. 

See what happens when you take action and include everyone?  You can change people’s lives. 

In interviews, I’m often asked, “Why did you write Someone Like Me?  My initial thought in publishing my story was to pass along hope and inspiration to my readers.  It’s been great to see that happen, but I’ve come to the realization that I’m on a bigger mission than gaining entry onto the New York Times Bestseller list. 

My life’s purpose today is to help level the playing field of disability employment.  I want to ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to do whatever he or she wants to in life.  Some call that inclusion.  I call it equal opportunity. 

 I’ll know I’ve succeeded when I start getting emails from people around the country that say, “Mr. Quinn.  I just wanted to let you know that I have a disability and interviewed for my dream job yesterday.  I sat down with the HR Rep, was honest about my condition, and you know what?  I got the job!  I can’t wait to get started.”

Who knows, maybe one day soon someone will be allowed to serve his country openly with cerebral palsy…and obtain the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer. 

May God bless you all and continue to bless this great nation."

www.johnwquinn.com