ABOUT ALEX GOSSAGE:
Alex Gossage is Executive Director of Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston (DNWML). He is passionate about the inclusion of people with disabilities throughout our community through the creation of a culture of accessibility.
Alex has twenty years of experience in the world of independent living, specifically with DNWML. Among his many experiences, Alex has worked alongside his team to grow disability awareness and consulting programs, enhanced benefits counseling and employment readiness services, advocated for policies benefitting the disability community, and developed social and recreational programs centered around skill development and the arts.
Alex earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in political science and history at the University of California, Santa Barbara and currently resides with his family in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
RESOURCES:
Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston
Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston on Facebook
Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston on Instagram
Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston on TikTok
TRANSCRIPTION:
David Fair: This is 89.1 WEMU, and welcome to this week's exploration of equity and opportunity in our community. This is Washtenaw United, and today, we're going to discuss opportunity through accessibility. Our guest today is Alex Gossage. He serves as executive director of Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston. It is an organization that began back in 1976 and is going strong today. Thanks for making time for us today, Alex! I appreciate it!
Alex Gossage: Well, thank you for having me!
David Fair: Well, the organization now has 49 years of service work in the books. How has Disability Network evolved over the decades?
Alex Gossage: I think we've evolved in a in a variety of different ways. First, I would say, when we started out while we were an organization that was inclusive of people with all disabilities, I think today we're working harder than ever to be inclusive of a group of people that's becoming more diverse that has various disabilities, various levels of disabilities. And we're working, I think, more oftentimes, in collaboration with the community, as opposed to against maybe folks in the community who don't understand needs that the disability community might have and might push back. Whereas, I think now, we have a lot of great collaborations we're doing these days, one being with Destination Ann Arbor and the work that they've done around accessibility and trying to make sure that folks who come to visit us here in Ann Arbor understand that there are places to go that are quite accessible.
David Fair: The needs of those who fall under that disability umbrella can be very specific. What process do you go through with people to tailor and create individualized services?
Alex Gossage: So, all of our work is person-centered. What we focus on is an individual comes in and they sit down with us and we talk about creating goals. Sometimes, the goal might be as simple as getting them connected to services and maybe navigating through various systems. But sometimes, they have a larger goal for themselves: finding housing and maintaining housing or figuring out how to navigate transportation on their own. So, we work with them to set those goals. We work on the individual steps that they'll take to further themselves in those goals and then those areas where we can be of assistance because we're about empowering other folks and not doing the work for them.
David Fair: What do you consider when evaluating outcomes? How do you measure success?
Alex Gossage: So, we receive a variety of different funding, both from the federal and state government. And some of the things that we evaluate as far as those reports go are, one, the different ways that we're connecting with individuals, so the different services maybe that we are providing. We are tracking the number of goals that individuals are able to achieve on their own, the number that they're creating for themselves, how long we've been working with them. In addition, with our community work, I think that that varies quite a bit in terms of how we're tracking that. Sometimes, it's with the number of collaborations that we're involved in. Sometimes, it's with the size of events that we are doing. We just recently had a film festival, and so, figuring out how many individuals in our community participated in that or it's looking at larger advocacy initiatives and how many individuals were we able to bring together for a town hall event or two, maybe reach out to their legislators to discuss their feelings and impressions on a particular issue.
David Fair: Washtenaw United and our conversation with Alex Gossage continues on 89.1 WEMU. Alex is executive director of Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston. And the last time you and I had an opportunity to talk, Alex, we discussed the transition away from the word "handicapped". Now there are a good number of people who are less than enamored with the word "disability". That word is right in the name of the organization. Where are you on the word "disability"?
Alex Gossage: It's who we are. Disability is not something that one should be ashamed of. It's simply a part of who I am as a person with a disability myself. And it's not a word that we're willing to shy away from. It is simply a part our identity. We don't look at it as a negative. We just look at is as part of we are and work to make sure that there are barriers in our community that we are breaking down. It is true that I think that the disability word is less than enamored, as you mentioned, but there are a lot of other words, I think, that were worse over time, and we've worked really hard to, I'd say, be very particular about language, whether that's using identity-first or person-first language. And it changes over time both outside of the community and inside the community.
David Fair: Beyond words, there is attitude to contend with when breaking down barriers, and those attitudes can stigmatize, and that, in turn, can result in a degree of scorn or pity. And I don't think those you serve are looking for either. Certainly, progress has been made on this front, but I'm curious as to whether the political polarization and hardening stances in America are potentially going to cause a backslide. What are you seeing and experiencing?
Alex Gossage: I definitely think that there is a backslide, and there's going to continue to be a backslide as we see with a variety of different identities: race, religion, other things. And disability has been caught up in that as well. We've seen a lot of backlash with things that have been happening through the Department of Health and Human Services at the federal government level and causing concern for people with disabilities. And I think we've seen that in other ways in our community as well. So, I think, locally, we still have a lot of strong advocates and supporters on our side, as far as elected officials go, but I think from a larger perspective, there definitely are things that we have to contend with now that we weren't as worried about contending with a year ago, two years ago, three years ago.
David Fair: And that speaks to uncertainty. And with that uncertainty in mind, there are funding cuts and policy changes, and most are scrambling to figure out what the near and long-term future holds. Where is Disability Network in all of that?
Alex Gossage: Yeah. So, Disability Network is a federal program called Centers for Independent Living. And that program was under the Administration for Community Living at DHHS, which no longer exists, or at least in theory no longer exists. And so, we believe we're moving over to one of the other departments, but we haven't had a lot of clarity in that area, nor have we really had any clarity as far as our funding past this current fiscal year. I think, though, more importantly, there are a lot of issues going on that are affecting the disability community at large, whether what is going to happen with special education services, now that they're trying to wind down the Department of Education. Medicaid cuts are a huge concern, as far as making sure that folks have the basic level of care that they need and the resources that they need to be able to live independently in the community. And just so many other things are going on. We have a lot to contend with these days.
David Fair: Once again, this is Washtenaw United on 89.1 WEMU, and we're talking with Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston Executive Director Alex Gossage. It was 35 years ago in 1990, the American with Disabilities Act was adopted into law, and it's resulted in some progress over the last three-and-a-half decades to be sure. Are we also in danger of setbacks in that act or perhaps a complete loss of the law all together?
Alex Gossage: I try to be hopeful and not think about the complete loss of the law altogether. There are some other disability-related laws that are definitely in jeopardy at this moment. I think the big thing with the ADA is wondering how any sort of compliance or efforts from government will work once they maybe don't have funding in order to force organizations or force entities to push on individual companies to make sure that they are being accessible, that they're following the ADA, whether that is a physical access piece or related to employment or anything else. So, there definitely are concerns there. We definitely have a lot of concerns about our civil rights, as far as folks with disabilities, being endangered, and it's something that we continue to watch, follow, remind our elected officials about and organize and support one another to make sure that if and when we need to act, we will be able to act as one large community.
David Fair: If some services become financially unsustainable at the network, how is that going to impact the quality of life for those you serve?
Alex Gossage: Well, I think it'll probably mean fewer resources for us, which means fewer individuals available to support people in our community, whether that is, again, navigating them through some basic systems or providing more in-depth, one-on-one services. Maybe some of the things that we've been doing, I think, over the last couple of years, especially since COVID, have focused on creating opportunities to bring people with disabilities together and pushing back against social isolation. And it's some of those kinds of programs I could see suffering as a result of funding cuts. I think it'll be our ability to reach out to all parts of all three of the counties that we serve and not just focus on maybe the more densely populated areas that we'll see a result of as we see potential funding cuts coming down.
David Fair: You mentioned that you are naturally optimistic. So, as you look to the rest of 2025 and beyond, where are you most optimistic in the mission of expanding accessibility and inclusion?
Alex Gossage: I continue to look locally. I continue to look at our counties and just focus on those areas. That's how I stay optimistic because I think, like I said before, we've had some really great partners out there. We had some great folks that we've been working hard with to expand disability-related programs to create greater education around disability. I think we've got great partnerships with the university, as well as other agencies in our other communities. And I just look at that and focus on that because that's the area that I can make a change in and make an effect in every day. Some of these other things that happen around us are not within our control, and it's best not to try and dwell on them too much.
David Fair: Well, thank you so much for your time in the conversation today, Alex! I appreciate it!
Alex Gossage: Thank you for having me! I appreciate being here!
David Fair: That is Alex Gossage, Executive Director of Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston. For more information on the work the organization is doing and for the community, stop by our website when you get a chance at WEMU.org. Washtennaw United is produced in partnership with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, and you hear it every Monday. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station, 89.1 WEMU-FM Ypsilanti.
WEMU has partnered with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan to explore the people, organizations, and institutions creating opportunity and equity in our area. And, as part of this ongoing series, you’ll also hear from the people benefiting and growing from the investments being made in the areas of our community where there are gaps in available services. It is a community voice. It is 'Washtenaw United.'
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