Introducing the Council’s Newest Members

 

The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council (Council) has been creating change to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities since 1971. We are led by people with developmental disabilities and family members of people with developmental disabilities.

Over the next two months we will introduce you to our newest Council members. We look forward to working with them to help people with developmental disabilities live the lives they want with the support they need.

 

August 29, 2022

 

Name: Meeka Caldwell

 

  1. In 2-3 sentences, tell us a little bit about yourself.Meeka is a Black woman standing on a deck outside. She is turned slightly to the left and is wearing a bright yellow shirt. She has short blonde hair and a big smile on her face.

My passion is in advocacy, outreach, and uplifting and centering the voices of those who need it the most. I am a mom of 4 with two bonus children, wife, sister, and a full time Talent Director for a nonprofit in DC. I am also a children’s book author of a series called A Friend Like Anian, whose main character is my son Anian. He is 8 years old and has Down syndrome. Many books about disability did not include representation for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. So we wrote our own stories to create more awareness. The work that I do to bring awareness with local and national communities helps people talk openly and creates opportunities everywhere for people with disabilities.

 

 

  1. What made you want to join the Council?

The mission is everything I am striving to do, little by little. I want to help create ways for people to live their lives the way they want with the support they need to be successful. I also want to help break down barriers and the way people think about people with disabilities.

 

  1. The Council creates change to make it possible for people with developmental disabilities to live the lives they want with the support they need. What change do you want to help the Council make?

I want to help build great partnerships with families, communities, and health care professionals. Information is not always easy to access, and families need help. In order to create change, we have to build strong partnerships so that we can hear from those that need support on how we can support them. I think together we can close the information gap and provide more support based on what people say they need.

 

  1. What are you most proud of, and how will that experience help you support the Council achieve our goals?

I am proud of filling a need as an author. I’m proud of using my platform to uplift, educate, and inform others of the need for disability awareness, and acceptance and inclusion. I know that my experience in outreach and connecting with families in my community and across the world will help in achieving the goals of the council. I’m here to serve in excellence and in the way that helps the most people benefit from the work that we do.

 

  1. What is one fun fact about yourself?

I love to bake and cook from scratch, and I find the majority of my recipes on Tik Tok. It’s the best find ever for all things creative cooking!

 

August 15, 2022

 

Name: Rich Bauernschub

 

Rich is a man with short brown hair and glasses. He is wearing an army green long sleeved shirt and jeans. He is sitting on a couch with a white dog laying beside him.

  1. In 2-3 sentences, tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m married with two children; one has graduated college and one is starting middle school. We enjoy living in Ellicott City with our two pets. At work I lead a team that makes boats drive themselves.

 

 

  1. What made you want to join the Council?

I have cerebral palsy and experience some of the challenges people with disabilities face everyday. The Council is an opportunity to bring some of my experience and skills to help create change for the entire community. I am energized by the detailed plans and accomplishments of the Council and am really excited to get started.

 

  1. The Council creates change to make it possible for people with developmental disabilities to live the lives they want with the support they need. What change do you want to help the Council make?

I’m happy to work on any project as I learn the ropes. I am interested in working on legislative policy tasks that remove barriers, or outreach tasks that change what the public thinks about people with disabilities.

 

  1. What are you most proud of, and how will that experience help you support the Council achieve our goals?

I am most proud of my children and how open minded and accepting they are of others. Both have surprised me with how much they understand and think about discrimination against minorities and those with disabilities. Our success in raising kind and empathetic children was not despite the challenge of my disability, but perhaps enhanced by it. This makes me ever more driven to make sure people with disabilities in our society have a loud, strong voice.

 

  1. What is one fun fact about yourself?

I really enjoyed tandem skydiving