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CNMI represented at SILC Congress in San Diego
Representing the CNMI Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Statewide Independent Living Council at the 2014 SILC Congress held in San Diego, Calif., on Jan. 18-21 and participating in the march were Elvira Seman, left, OVR administrative assistant; Emeterio Fitial, back center, SILC secretary; and Gernadine Camacho, holding CNMI flag, SILC vice chair.
The CNMI was represented at the 2014 SILC Congress held in San Diego, Calif., on Jan. 18 to 21.
Gernadine Camacho, Emeterio Fitial, and Elvira Seman enjoyed the experience of meeting with their U.S. mainland counterparts who gathered for this annual event to discuss matters pertinent to the initiatives and efforts of the Statewide Independent Living Councils, also known as SILC.
The CNMI delegation—their first attendance at this national forum—actively networked with SILC peers and discussed topics such as working with the State Rehabilitation Councils, reaching out to underserved populations, emergency and disaster, monitoring and evaluating the State Plan for Independent Living, youth initiatives, etc.
According to Fitial, CNMI SILC secretary, “I learned about the life of Ed Roberts, who was known as the father of independent living in the U.S. He did a lot of advocacy work to make sure establishments, including universities, are accessible to people with disabilities.”
Seman, administrative assistant for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and staff assigned to provide support to the CNMI SILC, shared that they met with their colleagues from Region IX who attended this year’s forum: “We got together with some Region IX folks from California, Arizona, and Hawaii, and one of the agenda items was the election of a representative and alternate representative to the SILC Congress. Larry Wanger [Arizona SILC executive director] and myself were elected to represent Region IX on the SILC at the national level. I will work with Larry to promote Region IX’s independent living agenda and transmit important information on to the CNMI SILC, especially with regards to best or emerging practices.”
The mission of the CNMI SILC is to serve individuals with significant disabilities and to promote their independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion into society. The Council supports the independent living philosophy of consumer control, peer support, self-help, self-determination, equal access, and advocacy.
For more information about CNMI SILC, contact the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation at (670) 322-6537/8; TTY: (670) 322-6449; fax: (670) 322-6536; or email: HYPERLINK “mailto:nmidir@ovrgov.net” nmidir@ovrgov.net. (OVR)
