Each year, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) recognizes those outstanding emerging leaders with disabilities who exemplify leadership, advocacy, and dedication to and for the broader disability community. Two individuals, who are emerging as leaders in the cross-disability civil rights movement, will each receive $10,000 to help them continue their progress and further connect their work with the national outreach of AAPD. The recipients of the 2013 Hearne Leadership Awards will also star in a short documentary film about their work and have an opportunity to attend and network with national disability leaders at the AAPD Leadership Gala in Washington, DC.
Contact Information
Phone:
(202) 457-0046
Email:
awards@aapd.com
Contact Notes:
phone: 1-800-840-8844 (voice/TTY)
Eligibility
Gender:
NA
Eligibility:
SELECTION CRITERIA: U.S. residents with any type of disability are eligible to apply.
An “emerging leader” is defined as someone who has demonstrated leadership qualities in his/her personal and professional life, and who has dedicated his/her passion to the pursuit of inclusion, equality and justice for all people with disabilities. The ideal candidate is an advocate, teacher, mentor, and leader within the disability community, and someone who is recognized as such by his/her peers. Winners of the 2013 Hearne Leadership Award must demonstrate:
•Leadership achievements that show a positive impact on the broader community of people with all disabilities;
•Connections they have made between individuals with disabilities and others in their communities;
•A positive vision for the disability community and a continuing commitment to their pursuit of that vision;
•The demonstrated ability to collaborate with other leaders, to follow when necessary, and to cultivate new leaders within their organizations and communities; and,
•The potential to contribute to the disability rights movement at a national level.
AAPD encourages emerging leaders with disabilities of any age to apply. The previous awardees represent a diverse group of people with many different disabilities aged 11 to 56. Former honorees have assumed leadership positions in diverse organizations and agencies, including but not limited to the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, the National Council on Independent Living, Access Living in Chicago, Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered, Mental Disability Rights International, and the U.S. Dept. of Justice. For more information on many of the past awardees and what they have accomplished since receiving this award, please visit AAPD’s web site at www.aapd.com.
Special Criteria:
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCEDURES: To be considered for the AAPD Paul G. Hearne Leadership Award, a candidate must submit a document according to the following instructions, including answers to essay questions with designated word limits; if these word limits are exceeded, only the designated amount will be considered. Candidates must ensure they address all of the selection criteria, as well as include two (2) letters – one letter of commitment from the mentor who is prepared to work with the applicant in pursuing his/her leadership goals, and one letter of professional recommendation. Please note that, to avoid conflicts of interest, applications will be rejected if the mentor or supportive colleague is a member of the National Advisory Committee for the award, or a member of the Board or staff of AAPD, or a relative of any of these individuals. Members of the NAC, AAPD Board and AAPD staff are listed on the AAPD website at: www.aapd.com.
Those selected as the recipients of the 2013 Hearne Award must:
•Make time, in the late fall/early winter of 2012, to participate in a video that highlights their leadership activities which will be shown at the AAPD Leadership Gala; •Attend the AAPD Leadership Gala in March, 2013 and participate in a gathering for emerging leaders with disabilities on the day following the Gala; •Submit a quarterly report on the recipient’s leadership activities and provide periodic updates on leadership activities and accomplishments throughout the year; and •Promote The Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards program and work with AAPD to help grow the program.
The cash award will be disbursed in two $5,000 payments: the first payment at the Leadership Gala in 2013, and the balance contingent upon successful completion of the above requirements by the first-year anniversary of receipt of the award.
Electronic applications are STRONGLY recommended and must be submitted by method…?. We also accept written applications and applications by audiocassette or by videotape. (The text of the audio or video transcript should not exceed the word limit for written submissions.) No faxed applications will be accepted.
All eligible applications will be evaluated by a review team selected by AAPD. The review team will identify semi-finalists who will be asked to participate in telephone interviews. The top semi-finalists will be recommended for further evaluation by the National Advisory Committee. The National Advisory Committee will make recommendations to the AAPD Board of Directors, who will ultimately select the winners.
Applications must be RECEIVED by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on November 1, 2012. No late applications will be accepted.
