2005 Barbara Jordan Media Award Winners

Award Winners

• Special Contribution - Individual:
  "Tacos Anyone?/¿Alguien quiere tacos?"
  Marvie Ellis
• Special Contribution - Organization:
  "Family Friends" - a program of Family to Family Network
  Jeromy Barber & Tim Taylor
  Aline Houston
• Print Article:
  "A Vision of Independence"
  Peggy Grodinsky
• Radio - Public Affairs Program:
  "Access This!"
  Scotty MacClymonds, KPFT Pacifica Radio
• Photojournalism:
  "Raising canes for independence"
  Ralph Barrera
• TV - Documentary:
  "Let's Make it Clear"
  Tom Hennig
  Rose Minette
• TV- Entertainment:
  "Just an Inconvenience"
  Phillips Productions
• TV - Advertising:
  "Beverly Kearney"
  Time Warner Cable
• TV - News Feature:
  "1 Armed Bandit"
  Pete Christy

Details About 2005's Winners

Special Contribution - Individual: "Tacos Anyone?/¿Alguien quiere tacos?"

Award Winner: Marvie Ellis, Author, Round Rock, 512-828-3072, marvieslp@sbcglobal.net

The children's book, Tacos Anyone?/¿Alguien quiere tacos?, tells a story about a family's experience with autism in a clever and intriguing way. This well-illustrated, 24 page bilingual book offers a story for family members young and old.

Marvie describes the story this way, "Michael is a four year old boy with autism. His older brother, Thomas, doesn't understand why Michael behaves the way he does. The therapist teaches Thomas how to play with Michael, making sibling time fun again."

Judges liked the broad appeal, positive portrayals, and the way the illustrations complimented the script.

Special Contribution- Organization: "Family Friends" - a program of Family to Family Network

Award Winners: Jeromy Barber & Tim Taylor, 12th Street House, The Woodlands, 936-671-3918, jeromy@jeromy.tv
Family to Family Network, Aline Houston, 713-466-6304, f2ffriends@sbcglobal.net

The Family Friends program matches volunteers who are 55 years or older to a child with a disability and family members for support and encouragement. This video introduces several Houston families at home, involved, learning, and sharing life. It identifies how families can receive support services and at the same time bring young and older individuals together to bridge generational gaps. The volunteers become part of the family, learn more about disability and offer their life experiences.

Judges felt this was a learning piece for anyone who wants to become involved. This example of community integration moved judges to seek additional information about the organization's availability in their area.

Print Article: "A Vision of Independence"

Award Winner: Peggy Grodinsky, Food Editor, The Houston Chronicle, 713-362-6315, peggy.grodinsky@chron.com
Nominator: Houston Mayor's Committee, 713-827-5060, William.miller@emersonprocess.com

This article was the judges' top selection for a number of reasons, including the ability to provide what one judge called "a slice of everyday life". Any reader could relate to - cooking - while at the same time readers were introduced to techniques that people who are blind use in day-to-day activities. It was descriptive and visual, putting the reader in the kitchen with Christy Fowler. Christy was portrayed in a positive manner - as a confident woman who did not let her disability keep her from doing the things in life she enjoys.

The article met the criteria of quality writing - having good imagery, progressive language and appeal to the general public. The piece was easy to read and visually appealing with good graphics, fact box and recipe at the end.

Radio - Public Affairs Program: "Access This!"

Award Winner: Scotty MacClymonds, KPFT Pacifica Radio "Access This!", Houston, 281-448-4739, blimycapn@oplink.net

"Access This!" is a radio show that explores all aspects of disability. It combines interviews with people with disabilities and music. The program airs on KPFT every Sunday from 7:00 to 7:30 pm. Scotty MacClymonds produces the show and shared two programs. One show featured interviews with performers with disabilities and a theater director, and another focused on the topic of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Past program topics covered transportation, assistive devices, spinal cord injury, mental health, polio, autism, independent living, and many more. Judges appreciated the use of humor, broad appeal, regular programming, variety of topics, and interest in educating the listening audience.

Photojournalism: "Raising canes for independence"

Award Winner: Ralph Barrera, Austin American-Statesman, 512-445-3685, rbarrera@statesman.com
Nominator: Zach Ryall, 512-445-3685, Austin American-Statesman, zryall@statesman.com

The package of seven photos on the fourth annual White Cane Day community celebration was selected for the photojournalism award predominantly because of the quality, composition and variety of the photos. The photos told the story and made the reader want to know more about the people in the photos and the celebration.

The photographer was successful in portraying diverse personalities laughing, dancing, cheering, and attending the celebration. Photographs, both in color and black and white, appeared prominently in the Metro & State section covering almost two pages.

TV - Documentary: "Let's Make it Clear"

Award Winners: Tom Hennig, Director, Austin, Hennig Productions, 512-477-4917, hennigproductions@sbcglobal.net
Rose Minette, Producer & Hard of Hearing Specialist, Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, 512-407-3255, rose.minette@dars.state.tx.us

"Let's Make it Clear" focuses on people and clear communication. This statewide training video is used by professionals and service providers to show how to communicate clearly when hearing is an issue. It provides tips everyone can use and offered the statistic that one in ten teenagers, adults, and seniors have some hearing loss. Short vignettes featured a restaurant and a doctor's office where communication can often be difficult.

Practical tips shared: eliminate background noise; get the person's attention before speaking; use clear and visible speech; use available technology; and use visual cues and gestures. The information stimulated discussion among the judges who expressed interest in obtaining the training video to use professionally and personally.

TV- Entertainment: "Just an Inconvenience"

Award Winner: Phillips Productions, Irving, 214-741-1300 x215, Ryan Britt, ryan@phillipsproductions.com

As a segment for the TV program "Texas Country Reporter", the show Just an Inconvenience follows Phil Parr, a former radio station manager, and his team of friends as they create an episode of the weekly radio talk show - "The Blind Handyman." Phil hosts, manages, and produces the show that offers home improvement tips for people with visual impairments.

With attention to detail and a trademark blend of humor, judges felt this show would appeal to anyone. Aired in 20 TV markets across Texas, the judges enjoyed the positive display of abilities including the use of power tools in carpentry, operating radio equipment, and connecting electrical wiring. Phil has been blind since birth, but producers discovered Phil can do anything, except pass up a good challenge.

TV - Advertising: "Beverly Kearney"

Award Winner: Time Warner Cable, Austin, Lidia Agraz, 512-485-6236 Lidia.agraz@twcable.com

This 30 second commercial for Time Warner Cable captures the every day life of customer Beverly Kearney. Beverly communicates about the tools she uses to maintain an active lifestyle whether working or relaxing. She says, "I'm a clicker. I watch three programs at once." The judges found humor in the "clicker" language and easily identified with the imagery.

As Beverly says in the ad, "Even when I'm just chillin', I like to keep movin'." Digital cable allows her to move at her own speed-fast or slow. Judges enjoyed seeing a sports professional with a disability featured in an ad promoting sports programming on digital cable.

TV - News Feature: "1 Armed Bandit"

Award Winner: Pete Christy, Producer, KCBD-TV, Lubbock, 806-438-8423, pchristy@kcbd.com

Pete Christy's A to Z Sports Tour features stories from favorite towns in the Lubbock area. When Pete traveled to Kress High School he met Tanner Scott - aka - the "1 Armed Bandit." His sports program introduced viewers to Tanner, an athlete with many abilities. He plays basketball, baseball, football, golf, and high jumps, too. He was named MVP, all district, and even made a hole in one. Tanner also enjoyed working at Kangaroo Kids Camp.

"You're Unbelievable" is the feature song and is an excellent match for this talented and energetic athlete who was also shown in the program as Homecoming King.

Judges also appreciated interviews with people who were with Tanner on a daily basis like his coach and his mom.

For more information, contact:
Cindy Counts
Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities
512-463-5740
Dial 711 for Relay Services
ccounts@governor.state.tx.us
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/disabilities