I would first of all like to thank the readers who took time to send in their comments on the article which was carried last week.
Join me today as we continue with the second part on the inspirational story of Richard Bernstein.
Legal career overview
In this aspect, Bernstein proved that disability is not inability by focusing on advocacy for the rights of persons with disabilities. In 2012, he filed a suit in federal court against the International Triathlon Union, USA Triathlon and 3-D Racing on behalf of Aaron Scheidies, a 30-year-old time world champion and eight-time national champion world-class runner, claiming the organisations violated the United States of America’s Disabilities Act of 1990.
The suit claimed that the triathlon groups’ rule, adopted in March 2010, requiring Scheidies, who had 20 per cent vision as a result of juvenile macular degeneration, and other vision-impaired runners wear blackout glasses in competition, was discriminatory and dangerous.
International Work in June 2010, Bernstein visited Israel through One Family Fund in Jerusalem to meet with survivors of terrorist attacks in Sderot. One Family Fund is an organisation working to raise awareness for the effects of terrorism on the people of Israel and provides direct financial, legal and emotional assistance to terror victims. Bernstein was further invited to discuss his advocacy work, fighting for the rights of people with disabilities, and how victims of terror can cope with disabilities caused by the attacks they have experienced.
In the fall of 2010, Bernstein was asked by the government of Ecuador in South America to participate in a speaking tour demonstrating the abilities and possible achievements of the disabled to rally support for disabled rights.
While in the country, he spoke to mainstream media and Ecuadorian universities, including Colegio Americano de Quito.
Following his work in Israel and Ecuador, Bernstein also has visited Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, London and Sao Paulo discussing special education and athletics programmes promoting greater inclusion as part of his advocacy for disabled rights. In 2013, he did 20 speaking engagements in 10 days to the audiences throughout Australia and London.
Returning to Australia in March 2014, he did a series of events, one of which was at the annual Gawith Lecture put on by Inclusion Melbourne.
The trip included a visit to Vistoria for a bipartisan lunch at Parliament House in Victoria (Australia), where he gave an address focused on inclusiveness for individuals with disabilities.
He also gave a keynote speech at the Maccabi Victoria All Abilities Project Launch in Armadale, Victoria and spoke at the Milk and Honey Café in Caulfield as part of the Access Inspiration Series, in which he was accompanied by Member for Caulfield David Southwick MP.
Public life
Bernstein was elected during a Michigan state-wide election to the Wayne State University Board of Governors in November 2002 at the age of 28. In February 2009, the Board unanimously voted Bernstein as its Chair; he previously served two years as Vice Chair.
His term on the Board concluded at the end of 2010. He is reported as the first blind person to run for statewide office in Michigan.
Among Bernstein’s initiatives as Chair of the Board of Governors, he led the Board in unanimously passing a resolution in September 2009 regarding the Amazon Kindle reader.
The action was prompted by a federal lawsuit filed by the National Federation of the Blind, based in Baltimore, in partnership with the American Council of the Blind against Arizona State University, to block the university from using the Kindle as a way to distribute electronic textbooks, stating the devices are not accessible by blind students.
The Board passed a resolution asking Amazon to make the Kindle user-friendly for blind students and forbid the use of Kindle e-books at Wayne State University until they were made accessible to visually impaired students. After WSU’s resolution, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Syracuse University stopped the use of Kindles on campus.
On December 7, 2009, Amazon announced it would add audible menus and extra large fonts to make its e-book more accessible to blind and vision impaired students.
Bernstein was the creator and host of the segment, “Making a Difference,” which aired on CBS in Detroit.
The show featured community volunteers in the Detroit metropolitan area. He also has contributed to The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press.
Bernstein has also taught a political science course on law and social change in the political science department at the Michigan. He appeared on television show City Limits and was interviewed by Karen Kahen at the Beverly Hills High School Media Station.
Personal life
Bernstein resides in the Detroit metropolitan area. He has two siblings, Mark Bernstein and Beth Bernstein Miller; each practices law in their family law firm.
In his spare time, Bernstein is a runner, completing 17 marathons, including marathons in New York, Detroit, Jerusalem, Miami and Los Angeles, before being severely injured by a speeding cyclist in Central Park in August 2012.
On Sunday, November 3, 2013, he completed his 18th marathon in New York City. At the age of 34, he completed the Ironman Triathlon in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on June 22, 2008. The Ironman includes a 112-mile (180 km) bike ride, 42.195-kilometre (26.219 mi) marathon and 2.4-mile (3.9 km) swim, without a break.
Bernstein finished the Ironman in 14 hours and 36 minutes. In October 2009, Bernstein ran the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank marathon with athletes from Wayne State University serving as his guides. At the age of 37, Bernstein completed the Half Israman triathlon, a competition like the Ironman, taking place in Eliot, Israel in January 2011.
The Half Israman consists of a
1.9 km swim in the Red Sea, a 90 km cycle and a 21.1 km run.
Campaign for Michigan Attorney General
In 2010, Richard Bernstein ran for the Democratic Nomination for Attorney General in the State of Michigan. He ran on a platform of public advocacy and active litigation, facing primary opponent, David Leyton.
The two faced off at the endorsing convention on April 17, 2010. Bernstein lost the Michigan Democratic Party endorsement to Leyton in one of the closest races for the Democratic nomination in the state, with a slim margin of just 153.6 proportional votes.
Awards
Bernstein has received recognition from various organisations for his work as a lawyer.
He was named a 2009 Leader in the Law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly, received the “Michiganian of the Year” award from The Detroit News, identified as one of Crain’s Detroit
Business’ “40 Under 40” and selected by The Young Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Michigan as the 2003–2004 Regeana Myrick Outstanding Young Lawyer Award recipient.
In 2006, he won CNN’s “Keeping Them Honest” award for his legal work on behalf of wheelchair users in Detroit.
He also was awarded the John W. Cummiskey Pro Bono Award from the State Bar of Michigan in 2008.
Bernstein On February 8, 2012, Bernstein was announced as one of “Brooks’ Elite 40 Under 40” by County Executive L. Brooks Patterson of Oakland County,
Michigan.
He has earned various awards for his community involvement, including the Spirit of Detroit Award from the Detroit City Council for his work establishing the Sarcoidosis
Center of Excellence, a Special Recognition Award from the Macomb Intermediate School District for advocacy on behalf students with disabilities and their parents, the Children’s Advocate Award from the National Council of Jewish Women for his advocacy work that benefited disadvantaged children, and a Volunteer of the Year from the Jewish Home and Aging Services.
On October 28, 2011, Bernstein received the University of Michigan 2011 James T. Neubacher Award, presented by U-M Regent Julia Donovan Darlow, for demonstrating exceptional leadership and advocacy in generating awareness and acceptance for disabled rights.
On April 26, 2013, Bernstein was awarded the Toastmaster Communication and Leadership Award by Toastmasters International for using his leadership and communication experience to achieve his goals.
For his athletic efforts, Bernstein was honored by the Michigan Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness for overcoming great challenges and continuing to pursue physical activity as a daily routine.
In 2010, he was honored by the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame with the Tony Filippis Courage Award for his athleticism despite his disability. He was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum on April 21, 2013.
The Dr Martin Luther King Jr Task Force Inc. selected Bernstein for the President Abraham Lincoln Equality Award because of his advocacy in the disabled community.
My prayer is that may this inspiring life encourage persons with disabilities and parents with children with disabilities to see beyond disability limitation.
The author is Africa Disability policy Analyst for SADC and Inclusive Development Advisor for Centre for Disability Development Research, Law and Policy, Johannesburg
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