Transcription

HELLO AND WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF "FACES," I'M MICHAEL BREWIN AND

EACH WEEK WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO STRIVE TO

CONTRIBUTE THROUGH THEIR TALENTS AND WORK AND I INTERVIEWED A

YOUNG MAN WHOSE FACE YOU MAY HAVE SEEN FOR ANY NUMBER OF

IMPORTANT ISSUES. MY GUEST IS AARON KAUFMAN, AND, AARON, WELCOME

TO "FACES." THANK YOU, MR. BREWIN, IT'S AN HONOR TO APPEAR WITH SUCH A

FINE BROADCASTER AND DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT. WE'LL TELL PEOPLE

RIGHT AWAY, I HAVE KNOWN YOU FOR A VERY LONG TIME. YOU ARE A

GRADUATE OF WALTER JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL, AND I HAVE SEEN YOU AT A

NUMBER OF EVENTS AND WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT YOU AND NOT JUST

DISTINGUISH ALL THAT STUFF. AND HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE, YOU HAVE BEEN

VERY ACTIVE AND AN ADVOCATE FOR SO MANY YEARS, REASONS AND ISSUES,

AND I WANT TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT WHEN WE DO THIS INTERVIEW AND SO

LET'S START WHERE YOU CURRENTLY ARE. CURRENTLY I'M WORKING FOR

COUNTY COUPLE MEMBER RON BERLEINGER AND HE REPRESENTS THE CHEVY

CHASE AND THE POTOMAC AREAS WITHIN THE COUNCIL AND WITHIN THAT

I'M DOING LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH FOR HIM AS WELL AS CONSTITUENT

SERVICES, ANSWERING THE TELEPHONE AND A RIETY OF DIFFERENT

TASKS THAT HE MAY REQUIRE. AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN HIS OFFICE

EVERY DAY? ARE YOU THERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, YES, FROM 9:00

TO 3:00. AND IT'S A TRUE PRIVILEGE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT

I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IS THAT GOVERNMENT IS THERE TO HELP PEOPLE

AND OFTENTIMES I HELP PEOPLE WITH THEIR CASE, THEY'RE VERY

FRUSTRATED WITH A GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR WITH ANOTHER

PERSONAL MATTER GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES AND THEY WANT THE

COUNCIL MEMBER'S ASSISTANCE AND SO HE'LL EVALUATE THE CASE

AND HE'LL SAY, WILL YOU TAKE CARE OF THIS FOR ME, AND THEN GET

BACK TO ME, OF COURSE. BUT I LOVE GOING TO WORK BECAUSE I SPEND

A LOT OF MY TIME EVERY DAY DOING CONSTITUENT SERVICES AND IT'S

JUST A REALLY GREAT FEELING TO SAY WHEN YOU GET A CALL FROM THE

CONSTITUENTS THE NEXT WEEK, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU

HELPED ME WITH X OR Y AND TO GET THANK YOU NOTES. I MAN, IT'S SUCH

A SPECIAL FEELING. WELL, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, JUST WATCHING YOU IN

ACTION YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING THAT COMES YOUR WAY, YOU REALLY

DO EARN THE RESPONSES THAT YOU GET. BUT I THINK WHAT PEOPLE MAY

NOT REALIZE IS THAT THERE'S A PASSION IN YOUR ADVOCACY, BECAUSE

OF YOUR OWN PERSONAL AND FAMILY STORY. I HAVE A DISABILITY

CALLED CEREBRAL PALSY AND I HAVE LONG BELIEVED THAT IT IS

NECESSARY IN LIFE TO MAKE LEMONADE OUT OF LEMONS AND AS SUCH I

CHOSE TO TAKE FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE THE UNFORTUNATE EVENT IN

MY LIFE OF BEING BORN WITH A DISABILITY AND USE IT TO DO AS MUCH

PUBLIC ADVOCACY GOOD AS I COULD. >> AND YOU HAVE. AND YOU'RE AN

ADVOCATE FOR YOUR BROTHER AND YOU HAVE DONE -- WELL, AND YOU

KNOW BOTH OF MY SONS AND YOU WERE AN ADVOCATE FOR

CHRISTOPHER IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, I MEAN, YOU PUT YOUR MONEY

WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS, WELL, THANK YOU, MICHAEL. AND ONE OF THE

NEAT THINGS ABOUT MY HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE WAS WORKING WITH

CHRIS AND HIS FRIENDS IN THE LEARNING FOR INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM

AT WALTER JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE I BELIEVE IF YOU CAN

TEACH SUCH FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS THAN YOU'RE DOING A GREAT

SERVICE BECAUSE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THIS COUNTRY FOR

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

AND STATISTICS, IS 65%. AND IT IS EVEN HIGHER FOR THOSE WITH

INTELLECTUAL AND EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES, UNFORTUNATELY. THAT

DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE UNDEREMPLOYMENT. THAT'S UNEMPLOYMENT.

65% CAN'T EVEN GET WORK. AND MANY WOULD LIKE TO, AND MANY

WOULD LIKE TO. AND SOME OF WHAT WE HEAR FROM EMPLOYERS IS JUST

FRANK DISCRIMINATION BUT A LOT OF IT IS, WELL, I NEED YOUNG PEOPLE

TO COME OUT OF THE L.S.I. PROGRAMS AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS WITH

BASIC SKILLS, LIKE TO KNOW THAT A QUARTER IS 25 CENTS, ETC., SO I

CAN PUT THEM TO WORK. SO THAT IS WHY THE L.F.I. PROGRAM AND

OTHER PROGRAMS LIKE ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS OFTEN THE

LEVEL OF EDUCATION THEY RECEIVE IS OFTEN THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN GETTING THE SUPPORT AND THE EMPLOYMENT JOB I WANT TO

TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THE OTHER WAYS YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN

COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT SERVICE BUT YOU'RE YES. YOU ARE A

COLLEGE STUDENT? YES, I JUST HAVE A FEW MORE GENERAL EDUCATION

REQUIREMENTS UNTIL I FINISH AND GET MY ASSOCIATES DEGREE. FROM

MONTGOMERY COLLEGE? FROM MONTGOMERY COLLEGE AND I JUST

COMPLETED THEIR HONORS SKILLS PROGRAM. VERY GOOD, TYPICAL OF

YOU. YOU'RE VERY KIND. I'M VERY FORTUNATE THOUGH, IT DIDN'T COME

BY JUST BY MYSELF, I HAD WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PARENTS AND A

TERRIFIC EXTENDED FAMILY. NATURALLY DURING THE TEEN AGE YEARS

THERE'S SOME DAYS THAT WE GET ALONG BETTER THAN OTHERS BUT I

REALLY TRULY FEEL BLESSED THAT I HAVE WONDERFUL PARENTS. AND

YOU'VE TAKEN THIS NOW FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL, YOUR ADVOCACY FOR

DISABILITY ISSUES, AND TAKEN IT FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL TO NOW

THE COMMISSION AND THE STATE LEVEL, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT

THAT? WELL, ACTUALLY MY ADVOCACY SORT OF STARTED ON A WHIM IN A

SENSE THAT IT BECAME A PASSION BUT IT STARTED ON A WHIM. IN 1994

WHEN I WAS 8 YEARS OLD MY PARENTS RAN FOR THE HOUSE OF

DELEGATES AND MY FATHER WANTED ME TO GO TO THE POLLS TO HIM TO

SEE WHAT BEING AT THE POLLS WAS LIKE, AND I LOVED IT, AND I HAVE

BEEN INVOLVED IN POLITICS EVER SINCE, THE SAME AS NOW. AND SO

WHAT STARTED AS A WHIM BECAME A PASSION AND I AM NOW -- HAVE

BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ENTRUSTED BY COUNTY EXECUTIVE LEGIT

TO BE ON A COMMISSION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND I RECENTLY

WAS APPOINTED BY MARYLAND GOVERNOR TO A FIVE-YEAR TERM ON THE

STATE COMMISSION. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. AND YOU'VE

WORKED WITH CHRIS VAN HOLLAN AND DONE THINGS WITH CHRIS?

CAMPAIGNS AND OTHER THINGS? NTEERS IN HIS UPSTARTHIS FIRST

PRIMARY AGAINST MARK SCHREIBER AND CONNIE MALLALIS AND WE GOT

TO KNOW EACH OTHER EARLY IN THE CAMPAIGN AND CHRIS PLEDGED

THAT HE WOULD BE A FIRM DISABILITIES ADVOCATE AND HE HAS DONE SO

IN THAT -- IN THAT THERE WERE A BUNCH OF ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL

DISABILITIES WORKING AT THE NAVAL SCULLERY GOVERNMENT

PRIVATIZATIONION IN ISSUE, I MEAN, PROPOSAL, TRIED TO SAY, WELL, YOU

ALL WILL HAVE TO COMPETE FOR YOUR JOBS WITH THE PRIVATE

COMPANY AND SEE WHO CAN DO THE WORK OF THE NAVAL SCULLERY,

THE NAVAL KITCHEN CHEAPER AND HE STEPPED IN AND SAID, YOU

CANNOT DO THIS, MR. PRESIDENT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A COMPETITIVE

DISADVANTAGE AND AS A RESULT OF THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WORKING

AT THE SCULLERY FOR 20 YEARS STILL HAVE THEIR JOB. BECAUSE OF

CHRIS. YES. AND YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH THAT. SO FOR THE SUMMER

YOU'RE WORKING FOR COUNCIL MEMBER BERLEINGER, AND THEN WHAT

WILL YOU DO? AUGUST 1 YOU GO AND I WORK FOR THE NONSECTARIAN

JEWISH FOUNDATION FOR GROUP HOMES, DESPITE ITS NAME IT HAS MANY

NONJEWISH RESIDENTS AND MY BROTHER, WHO IS MORE SEVERELY

DISABLED THAN I WHO NEEDS ASSISTANCE WITH ALL SORTS OF

ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING SUCH AS TOILETING AND DRESSING CANNOT

LIVE INDEPENDENTLY BUT HE WAS EAGER TO GET OUT BECAUSE HE SAID

THAT MY PARENTS DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE ROCK MUSIC THAT HE WANTED

AND MY PARENTS YOU KNOW WHAT, EVERYONE WANTS TO -- IT'S NOT

JUST MOM AND DAD, YOU JUST WANT TO BE IN YOUR OWN PLACE. AND MY

PARENTS WANTED A PLACE SO WHEN THEY PASS AWAY HOPEFULLY 50

YEARS FROM NOW, THEY KNOW THAT THEIR SON IS TAKEN CARE OF AND

SO I'LL WORK IN THE FUNDRAISING DEPARTMENT OF THAT ORGANIZATION

ONCE THE COUNCIL GOES ON RECESS. GOOD. YOU'LL BE SENDING ME MY

ANNUAL LETTER THEN. I SUPPOSE SO. I'LL TELL MY BOSS, HIT HIM UP.

THAT MIGHT BE A POSSIBILITY FOR CHRISTY SOMEDAY TOO, ONE NEVER

KNOWS. AND THEN YOU'RE BACK AT SCHOOL IN THE FALL? WELL, NO,

THEN I'M GOING TO THE BEACH A LITTLE BIT AND HAVING SOME VACATION

AND THEN BACK AT SCHOOL IN THE FALL. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN

WORKING IN THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS IN THE FALL? I WILL SUPPORT

BARACK OBAMA BUT GIVEN THE RIGOROUS NATURE OF MONTGOMERY

COLLEGE I HOPE TO DO SOME SATURDAY CANVASSING, ETC., BUT I'M NOT

SURE HOW MUCH I'LL BE ABLE TO DO. BUT I WILL KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON

THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HOLD THEM

ACCOUNTABLE FOR, WHAT THEY'RE -- WHAT HE IS PROPOSING TO DO ON

HIS WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND ONE OF THE THINGS

THAT I LIKE ABOUT BEING APPOINTED TO THESE COMMISSIONS IS THAT I

CAN HOLD THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPOINTED ME ACCOUNTABLE. FOR

EXAMPLE, I HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT GOVERNOR O'MALLEY

HAS NOT ADEQUATELY FUNDED THE WAITING LIST TO GET PEOPLE LIKE

MY BROTHER OFF THE WAITING LIST. AND INTO GROUP HOMES. WE HAVE

PARENTS IN THEIR 80'S WHO THEIR SON OR DAUGHTER WITH DOWN'S

SYNDROME OR OTHER SIGNIFICANT IMPAIRMENT IS STILL AT HOME AND AS

SUCH THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEIR

DAUGHTER OR SON AND THE CURRENT WAITING LIST IS AT 17,000 AND

HAFT YEAR THE GOVERNOR DECIDED JUST TO GET 40 PEOPLE OFF THE

WAITING LIST AND AT THE SAME TIME YEARS AGO INCH DA RUBIN GOT IT

DOWN TO ZERO AND SO IT'S A TROUBLING TREND. THEY DID OVER THAT

THREE-YEAR PERIOD AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO ENCOURAGE THIS

GOVERNOR TO DO THE SAME. I AGREE. AND THE TRAGEDY WITH THE

WAITING LIST IS THAT WE GET EVERYONE WE LOVE ON THE WAITING LIST

AND THEN IT'S JUST EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND THERE'S NO SUCH

THING AS WAITING LIST, WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY YOU GET THE

SERVICE OF THE. I THINK THAT'S ACCURATE. I THINK IT'S INTERESTING.

YOU ARE EXTREMELY ARTICULATE ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND I'M JUST, I

THINK THAT IT'S A REAL GIFT FOR A COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO HAVE YOU

VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME, AT LEAST AT THIS STAGE, AND YOU MAY BE

RUNNING FOR SOMETHING AND WE MAY BE WORKING FOR YOU SOME DAY,

WHO KNOWS? WELL, YOU'RE VERY KIND, MICHAEL, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S

IMPORTANT FOR THE VIEWERS TO KNOW THAT YOU TOO VOLUNTEERED

FOR THE COMMISSION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOR MANY, MANY

AND REALLY VOLUNTEERED A LOT OF TIME AND CONTRIBUTED A LOT OF

WISDOM TO OUR DISCUSSIONS. YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER THIS SHOW,

YOU TAKE OVER EVERYTHING, YOU CAN DO THIS SHOW. BUT WHAT ARE

YOUR GOALS? WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS HERE, MAYBE A BIT FURTHER

DOWN THE LINE WELL, I HOPE TO GRADUATE FROM AND THEN GET MY

BACHELORS AND THEN MAYBE WORK A FEW YEARS GET A MASTERS IN

PUBLIC POLICY OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE IN THAT IN TODAY'S

SOCIETY TO GET A -- THE TYPE OF JOB THAT I WOULD WANT, YOU REALLY

NEED A MASTER'S DEGREE. WELL, AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT,

INTELLECTUALLY FOR YOTO BE CHALLENGED AS YOU GO THROUGH

SCHOOL AND TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT ANALYSIS TO WHATEVER

YOU'RE DOING. L? YOU SEE YOURSELF AT A LOCAL WELL, I SEE MYSELF

STAYING HERE BECAUSE I LOVE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND I LOVE THAT

THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IS SO NEARBY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN

TRAINED, IN ADDITION TO THE CONGRESSMAN, I'VE INTERNED FOR

SENATOR EVAN BYE OF INDIANA AND SO I LIKE NATIONAL POLITICS TOO

AND SO THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE FOR POLITICS. WELL, I WISH YOU THE

BEST AND AS A RESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE WITH THE

COUNTY AND WHAT YOU'LL DO IN THE FUTURE. AND THANK YOU FOR

YOUR SERVICE. I APPRECIATE IT. MY GUEST WAS AARON KAUFMAN, AND

CURRENTLY AN INTERN WITH ROGER BERLEINGER'S OFFICE, I'M MICHAEL

BREWIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TUNING IN.