To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the National Disability Mentoring Coalition has named 25 outstanding leaders as the first inductees into the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame. These inductees were selected for their demonstrated commitment to mentoring and for the impact of their contributions on improving the lives of people with disabilities.
We are proud to induct Judith Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State, into the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame’s 2015 inaugural class.
Judith Heumann is an internationally recognized leader in the disability community and a lifelong civil rights advocate for disadvantaged people. In June 2010, she was appointed to her current position as the Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State.
As the Special Advisor, Heumann leads the Department efforts to encourage and assist foreign governments and civil society organizations to increase their commitment and capacity to protect the rights, and ensure the inclusion and full participation of, persons with disabilities.
She served as the World Bank’s first Advisor on Disability and Development and served in the Clinton Administration as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the Department of Education from 1993 – 2001. She previously worked with numerous disability rights organizations including co-founding the World Institute on Disability and the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, California.
MD Jahidul Islam
Dear Judith Heumann,
(Please be kind to read this full message)
Greetings from Dhaka Bangladesh. I am MD Jahidul Islam, a person with physical disability, wheelchair user. I am your great fan and Facebook follower. I am writing this to have introduce with you. You know very well that Bangladesh is a very poor country and here people with disabilities are the most marginalized group. I myself being a wheelchair user suffered a lot since I was only 2 years when I was affected by polio. But my parents fought for me throughout their life for my education.
Since I was a college student (XI) I started voluntary work for supporting people with disabilities and involved with various social development aspects. I myself a person with physical disability and wheelchair user, so I have been facing the hardest life like other people with disabilities in Bangladesh. Though with lots of struggled and self-courage I have overcame my personal limitation and now fully enthusiast to work for the development of people with disabilities and to take care of social causes.
I have completed my Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), major in Finance from Southeast and Master of Business Administration (MBA), major in Human Resource Management from North South University. Moreover, I have studied “Disability, Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and International Development” from Queen’s University, Canada. This is an online based 6 month long online certificate course.
You would be very happy to know that, this year I have been selected for “Young Connectors of the Future (YCF)” leadership development programme 2016 of Swedish Institute.
In my little professional carrier, I have already been worked with some renown national and International NGOs. I worked with Nevada Soft Bangladesh, Centre for Disability in Development (CDD), Actionaid Bangladesh and CBM International.
I am very actively involving with voluntary work. Since 2008 to 2010 I have been worked with ADD international which is very renown UK based INGO working for people with disabilities. I have also worked with other renown local NGOs like, CSID, PDF, BSCAN, Save the Children, etc.
Most importantly, I have also worked as online freelancer. I used to work online based digital marketing such as, Search Engine optimization, Web research, Web development, graphics design, content writing, Social Media Marketing, etc. In 2013 I got best Outsourcing Award from Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS). So far, I am the only one person with disability in Bangladesh who got this prestigious award in ICT sector. I am also working with Bangladesh government ICT Division’s project for empowering people with disabilities through ICT and providing them computer training. After getting training from me, some of them are working independently.
So, it’s my dream to work for the development of people with disabilities, creating more ICT based employment and establishing their human rights.
I would be very happy to be in close contact with you and if there is any opportunity please be kind to support me as you are holding very big position at the U.S. Department of State. I am very much interested to get any kind of international opportunities and looking forward to your kind responds.
Kind regards,
MD Jahidul Islam
Jahid.1986@gmail.com