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Stephen M. Handschu[/caption] Hard Core Advocacy is the Foundation Access Ready Inc. is fundamentally a nonprofit national cross disability rights advocacy organization. Since the beginning of the disability rights movement with all its names and slogans many great advocates have done their part along the way. Some were leaders with too many illustrious names to mention here without leaving someone out. Most of the real hardcore work though has been done by the millions of advocates whose names have been lost to history. Like the countless millions who have died on battle fields fighting for freedom who we remember with honor, these disability rights advocates are known by name only to their friends and families. Access Ready honors them all and can only hope to follow in their tradition of selfless service as it begins its twenty first century advocacy work. Hard core advocacy takes personal dedication, the willingness to learn and a clear goal. It also takes the ability to propose objectives with dispassionate logic, factual truth and a willingness to compromise. The key is advancing the cause of disability rights even if it is in small incremental steps. The march of history shows us that yesterday was pro-log to today, which is a sign of changes to come tomorrow. In negotiations as objection gives way to compromise everyone knows that today's steps forward will only lead to the ultimate objective in the tomorrows to come. Access Ready advocacy works in this way with a willingness to reach objectives in a time frame acceptable to the developers and managers of information and communications technology as long as the compromise is reasonable. Compromise is the currency of civil discourse when right is on your side. The passionate advocacy of youth gives way to compromise as we as individuals and the movement learn the pace of history. An advocate who understands the history of disability rights from a first-person perspective is an invaluable resource. An advocate who has worked for the rights of many with and without disabilities is an inestimable leader able to guide the advocacy efforts of today. An advocate who is a world-renowned sculptor who has also walked side by side with other giants of civil rights brings more than fifty years of luster to the efforts he joins. Access Ready Inc. is honored to welcome Stephen M. Handschu to its Board of Directors. Access Ready is looking for advocates to work with us on the accessibility of information and communications technology. In the twenty first century, information and communications technology has become the life blood of economic, social and civic life. The proliferation of inaccessible technologies is a growing problem that is leaving people with disabilities behind by leaps and bounds. Access Ready Inc was founded to mount a singular challenge to this growing inaccessibility. We consider inaccessible information and communications technology to be a growing clear and present danger to the economic, social and civic lives of people with disabilities and ask your help in this national effort. The issue is so great and growing that we don't need a few advocates, but rather a great number to join us through our Associate-Facilitator program. Email your interest to
