Page 8 - ABILITY Magazine - Best Practices Employment

Russell and Janet LaBreck
Commissioner LaBreck and Lia Martirosyan
like you’re reading a tax book.” And what did he do? He sounded like he was reading a tax book! And I thought, I’ll never have you on again. Over all though, hosting the show was a great experience. And Radio Reading Ser- vice Network won over 35 awards. I personally won two for national and international programming.
throughout Massachusetts and around the country.
Cooper: What were the awards?
LaBreck: I have not. I had hoped to go last year.
LaBreck: For the national award, I had interviewed a combination of both able-bodied and individuals with disabilities, discussing complex topics. And the interna- tional one was on political issues around the world; I got a chance to interview British Member of Parliament David Blunkett, when Tony Blair was prime minister. Blunkett was scheduled to succeed him, until Blair got into a bit of trouble. Blunkett would have been the first British person who was blind to serve as prime minister.
Cooper: If you had, you would’ve met Stevie Wonder.
Cooper: I hadn’t heard about him.
Cooper: Maybe you’ll go to CSUN next year.
LaBreck: He’s still in parliament. When I interviewed him, it was really tough getting clearance, and they ini- tially said, “You only have 23 minutes, because he’s got to be back in parliament.” And I said, “Okay.” But by the time it was over, he ended up giving me 45 minutes, because we hit it off. And we were able to broadcast those programs and carry them across the country as well through other Radio Reading Service affiliates
LaBreck: I really want to make it, especially if Stevie goes. You did an article on him.
Cooper: Have you been to the CSUN Conference (International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference) in California?
LaBreck: I know! Interestingly enough, I just finished reading his book, which focused on his mom and his disability. It’s a powerful story, absolutely incredible. When I was commissioner in Massachusetts, I sent folks to CSUN because we always wanted to stay at the fore- front of what was going on assistive technology-wise. For a state agency, we had one of the largest technology programs in the country.
Cooper: Yes, after CSUN, we met him at his home in LA.
LaBreck: I was at a Massachusetts Association for the Blind event where they gave him the Vision Award a few years ago. He was there, but it would have been
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