VOICE The Disability Community Resource Center Newsletter March 2019 ISSUE DCRC Newsletter Edited by Jay Aquino and TJ Hill FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PEER SPECIALIST Spring is in the air! Well almost. March 20th is the first official day of spring after what feels like a particularly harsh winter in California. In addition to “springing for- ward” with our clocks, now is a good time to focus on our new beginnings at the DCRC. We emerge into the spring with new Board of Directors and executive officers – Wel- DCRC Executive Director TJ Hill come Sara Pezeshkpour as our new Boar President and Carla Lewis-Irizarry as a new the opportunity to work. Board member and the new Community Advisory Council President! We love see- Speaking of work, spring is also a great ing these emerging leaders take important time for our community to recommit to sup- leadership roles at the Center. porting our work on behalf of people with disabilities and seniors. There are many We are also starting an exciting new pro- simple but meaningful ways to support the gram to increase employment for people DCRC. Join our Kroger Co. Family of Stores with a mental health condition through a Community Rewards Program by electing joint partnership grant with the Department the Disability Community Resource Center of Rehabilitation and the Los Angeles Coun- (ID: CQ054) as your community non-profit to ty Department of Mental Health. This pro- support. Or donate through Amazon Smile gram represents the culmination of years of while doing your online shopping. Finally, advocacy from the disability community and we love regular monthly PayPal donations mental health advocates who too often saw as ongoing gift. Help us plant the seeds for a mental health diagnosis paired with unem- new programs and services this spring – for ployment. DCRC is committed to increasing details go to www.dcrc.co/donate/. employment for all people with disabilities – including our brothers and sisters with a Happy Spring! mental health diagnosis! We should all have FROM STUDENT TO PEER SPECIALIST Opportunity can knock when you least During his time in her class, Rosy felt expect it, however, it is up to each individual that Richie demonstrated his leadership to seize that opportunity. Opportunity skills and abilities throughout the session. knocked with Richie Wladich, DCRC’s Peer Classmates often approached him for Specialist for Client Run Services, and he resources, mentorship and support. As seized the chance. Before meeting DCRC’s part of his assignments, he assisted with PSEP Coordinator Rosy Tellez, Richie did staffing of booths for the Center at various not consider himself an advocate. It was her conferences. He learned the essential insights on being an advocate that changed functions of the Center’s DMH services. DCRC Executive Director TJ Hill his perspective. Richie completed the program in July 2015. Richie first heard about DCRC (which was After the class, Richie continued to work known as WCIL at the time) at a Culver with and volunteer at the Center. When a job City Town Hall Meeting. At the meeting, opening presented itself, Richie applied for Rosy shared her own experiences and the position and was hired. He became part discussed her role as a peer advocate as of DCRC’s staff in April 2016. Rosy feels part of a panel. “I heard her describing that each person has their own unique path her situation, and how she now serves that leads them to where they are. As she as a peer specialist. I thought that was told Richie during their first meeting, she something I could do, so I approached her feels that one’s previous lived experiences at the table” explains Richard Wladich. In are an asset to helping others, particularly their conversation, Rosy informed him that in mental health advocacy. And Richie’s his unique journey of wellness is valued journey demonstrates that. in this field. She also let him know about the mental health advocate training that is As Richie approaches his three year available at the Center, now known as our anniversary at DCRC in April, he describes Peer Specialist Training (PST) Class. how he continues to grow in his role - “It’s been a learning process. I learn something Richie applied for the PST Class and was new every day here. Even now, even after accepted into the Spring 2015 session. the last three years, there’s so much to learn The Future of Gaming DCRC Staff Member Richie Wladich with his colleague Rosy Tellez. about the disability community.” Rosy enjoys Feel free to contact Richie at (310)390- working with her former student. She finds 3611 ext. 257, or by email via richard@dcrc. it rewarding to know that he was able to co. share his experiences and to utilize what he’s learned to become such a great peer For more information about our Peer advocate. “He has been outstanding with the Specialist Training Class at DCRC, feel types of support he provides to our peers.” free to contact Rosy at (310)390-3611 ext. 230, or by email via [email protected]. Richie says that he always recommends people apply to take the PST Class. The PST Class helped prepare Richie to seize the opportunity when it presented itself and every day he is grateful to continue his work as a peer specialist: “Every day I get up, I get to come to a place where I know I can be of service to somebody. I’m really happy to be here.” We are also happy to have you here at the Center Richie! Inclusive Design: The Future of Gaming One of the workshops at the Abilities Expo Dog. He commented on his experience with in Los Angeles this year covered inclusive Uncharted 2, a previous game in the series. and accessible design in video games. Due to Josh’s limited dexterity related to The workshop featured Sam Thompson, a his disability, he could not press the buttons producer at Sony Interactive Entertainment rapidly enough during quick time events Worldwide Studios, Brian Allgeier, a game to reach the end of the game. Quick time designer at Insomniac Games, and Paul events are situations in a level where the Amadeus Lane, a gaming accessibility action slows down, prompting the player advocate. They had an open conversation to press a button, and requiring the player regarding game design. Lane started off by to rapidly press that button to advance in saying that “many gamers play video games the game. The team was moved by this as an escape. They want to play and have feedback and feedback from others in the fun.” He pointed out however, that certain disability community and so the developers barriers can disrupt gamers, especially acted on it. “To find out that a segment of people with disabilities, from enjoying a the population cannot experience a game is game. not ideal for any developer. We want games to be played and enjoyed by everybody. Thompson talked about an experience they And in order to do that we need to observe had in working with Naughty Dog, another accessibility more” explains Sam. Now, developer within Sony. Naughty Dog is at any point during the game, the player the primary developer in Uncharted 4, an has the option to change how quick time action-adventure game released for the events work in the accessibility menu. They PS4 in 2016. While this game was being can change it so simply holding the button developed, they learned that accessibility completes quick time events as opposed to needs to be built in the beginning of a rapid button presses. This approach was game’s development process. also added to game’s digitally rendered combat, allowing players to just hold down This was because a member of the disability the button to repeat certain actions instead community spoke up. Josh Straub, a fellow of rapidly pressing a button. designer in the gaming industry, reached out via social media to Sony and Naughty Allgeier described meeting Straub for the well. These sections are time consuming and challenging. Insomniac Games did not want to halt a gamer’s experience with the overall story if they could avoid it. They wanted to give the player as many options as they could. Other accessible design features include larger subtitles, having backdrops that are easier to see, and a difficulty labeled “Friendly Neighborhood” The Art of Inclusive Design Workshop. that makes the experience easier for all players. Allgeier stressed that with these first time. “We knew accessibility was simple design choices it made it easier for important, but it didn’t become real until all gamers to enjoy the game. Insomniac Josh visited the studio” explains Allgeier. Games wanted as many gamers to “It was an immediate impact where experience the joy of being Spider-Man to you understood how these features are the greatest extent possible. beneficial and how they can engage more people.” Getting the needed input from a Sony and other game developers in gamer with a disability impacted how these the gaming industry intend to include game companies would develop their games the disability community in the quality in the future. This demonstrates the power assurance (QA) testing process as well. of personal advocacy and its potential Quality Assurance is a part where gamers impact on the greater community. are paid to test out how a game functions toward the end of development, allowing a Marvel’s Spider-Man, an action-adventure developer to make changes before release. game developed by Insomniac Games At Sony’s booth on the Expo floor, they released for the PS4 in 2018, was developed explained they wanted to have QA testing with accessibility in mind.