Los Angeles Employment Attorney Blog

Helen Keller was an amazing person who overcame her deafness and blindness to become a world champion for the rights of those with disabilities. Before she was 2 years old, an illness rendered her blind and deaf. She first learned to communicate with sign language as a child. Later, still as a young person, Helen Keller was profoundly influenced by Charles Dickens' book entitled American Notes that chronicles the education of a deaf and blind child.

Helen Keller did not allow her disabilities to limit her ambitions or stop her from tackling new challenges. She was the first deaf and blind person to graduate from college. She wrote books, met with presidents, and toured the world to encourage those with disabilities and advocate for women's rights.

Helen Keller made history and changed people's perspective on the abilities of those with disabilities. She toured 39 countries advocating for people with disabilities, children's rights, women's rights. Here, in the U.S., she helped change laws and establish programs to help people with disabilities.

Many people with disabilities face not only the challenge of their disability but also ignorance and prejudice when seeking employment. Employers, be a champion for people with disabilities to find and keep meaningful employment. You may just employ the next Helen Keller.

We often think of helping people get better wages or work conditions and admire those who speak up to make working people's lives better.  Frederick Douglass was one of the first great worker's activists. Mr. Douglass escaped the cruel bonds of slavery and then spent his life working and speaking out for those who were still enslaved and for all people deprived of their civil liberties. Mr. Douglass said:

"To those who have suffered in slavery I can say I, too, have suffered. And he also said "To those who have battled for liberty, brotherhood and citizenship I can say I, too have battled."

Frederick Douglass was born Frederick Bailey, a slave in the United States of America. It was a time when it was legal for one American to own another human being. But this was not a state that young Frederick liked. When he was 18, he made his first attempt to escape that terrible condition, but was caught and imprisoned. A year later, in 1837, he escaped fro slavery. He changed his name from Bailey to Douglass to evade slave catchers.

Mr. Douglass fought for the freedom of others in slavery. He started a newspaper, he supported women's rights, and in 1850 he became involved in the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a name given to the movement of those who helped slaves to freedom.  Even today, Mr. Douglass is considered the ultimate workers' rights activist.

He, because of his intelligence, skill as an orator, and his work as a champion for civil rights, went from slavery to working in the Council of Government for the District of Columbia became the Marshal for the District of Columbia.  He also held diplomatic positions in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Frederick Douglass - a man who escaped slavery and changed history.  His life story is still inspiring. A life of courage and accomplishment for the rights of others.

In celebration of the 4th of July in 1852 Frederick Douglass was asked to give a speech.  It was poignant and courageous; and, this speech has been re-enacted and read by many. To watch and listen to James Earl Jones read Mr. Douglass' famous 1852 speech, go to Youtube and search Frederick Douglass.

Los Angeles has named schools after him. He is honored by the National Parks and his papers are in the Library of Congress. Movies have been made about Mr. Douglass and his ground-breaking work for the down-trodden. Most importantly, though, his name and personage shine as inspiration for civil liberties and for the rights of those who are suppressed. Frederick Douglass ran to freedom and still leads the fight.

For more informatin on Frederick Douglass, click on the following links:

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/douglass

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/doughtml/doughome.html

Today, March 31, is Cesar Chavez Day - a California state holiday. In honor of Cesar Chavez's life and work, California declared March 31 to be a state holiday to promote community service. Cesar Chavez became a labor leader and civil rights activist fighting for farm workers rights and safety. His work and life have profoundly influenced California and our Nation. Among other things, he urged Mexican-Americans to vote, organized strikes to bring public attention on the deplorable conditions and pay of California farm workers.

In 1958, Cesar Chavez became the national president of a Latino civil rights group known as Community Service Organization. Around 1962, Cesar Chavez founded the Farm Worker's Association. A few years later, in 1965, Cesar Chavez supported the Delano grape strike by the Filipino American farm workers. This issue reached the U.S. Congress in when the U.S. Senate committee held hearings on Migratory Labor issues. It was in these hearings that Senator Robert. F. Kennedy declared his support for farm workers and those farm workers who particpated in the strike for better pay and working conditions.

For example, he was successful in organizing farm workers and brought to light the dangers of pesticide use to farm workers and consumers. Colleges, parks, recreational sites, schools, buildings, libraries, and roads have been named after Cesar Chavez. He changed history and advanced the cause of working men and women.

The name Cesar Chavez is now symbolic for standing up for workers' rights. His dedication to the cause of workers has not gone unnoticed. President Clinton posthumously awarded the U.S. Medal of Freedom to Cesar Chavez.