New Visions Blog

BFL Transitional Housing Program residents joined the occupational therapy team on an outing to the nearest poll site today. The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly & Handicapped Act requires polling places across the United States to be physically accessible to people with disabilities for federal elections… read more

An email from a new supporter, who attended BFL's Lavender&Blue event during October's Domestic Violence Awareness month.  Camille Writes: Scott, thank you for inviting Tyrel and I to the wonderful event tonight. We had a great time and we won prizes! Yahoo!  It was good to be a part of the affair and meet wonderful people. The poetry and Vivi, the opera singer was amazing and everyone was so nice and open. BFL is a fabulous organization and I wish you… read more

The Sessions, Audience Award winner at Sundance and part of ReelAbilities Film fest, tells the story of a man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest… read more

BFL's Domestic Violence Awareness Month event, Lavender & Blue drew a lively crowd in support of the agency mission. Supporters joined new friends at XES Lounge in Manhattan for drinks and gab. The hit of the night was DV Survivor opera diva Vivi Le Voix who wowed the crowd with a brilliant aria (event video or below on home page)… read more

BFL's Lavender & Blue MegaMixer will feature a performance from Opera singer Vivi (pictured). The event will include drink tix, raffle, guest speakers, and an awesome DJ at the XES Club in Manhattan on Oct. 23, 6pm-8pm. XES is at 157 W 24th St… read more

A blog post originally published on September 26, 2012 by Nora J. Baladerian Ph.D. is October's featured article on BFL's Breaking Barriers in Domestic Violence Newsletter.  Read the blog. Sign up for BFL's free Breaking Barriers In DV Enewsletter at [email protected]… read more

The NY Times reports on Community Access’ restoration of the old Gouverneur Hospital, now called Gouverneur Court. Read the article, Still Housing the Needy, In a Changed Manhattan.  Barrier Free Living is working with Community Access on its latest Supportive Housing project. Steve Coe, Community Access Chief Executive Officer says: "As I mention in the article, the people we help were excluded from mainstream housing, which meant that social workers and community organizers had to figure out how to… read more

BFL was honored twice during October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The Helen Keller Organization and Millneck Organization both recognized BFL for its outstanding work employing and working with interns with disabilities. Aeilushi Mistry, of the BFL Organizational Development Team accepted the Helen Keller nod, pictured above, second from left.… read more

When Marine Lance Cpl. Alex Minsky (pictured) lost his leg when his truck rolled over an IED (improvised explosive device) in Afghanistan he had no idea how greatly his journey would end up empowering people with disabilities. View the latest NBC News story, click here. LA based photographer Tom Cullis first noticed Alex at his gym. "I saw him on a daily basis doing pushups with one leg or core… read more

The BFL Survivors Speakers Bureau released it's Oct. newsletter. For info contact: [email protected]… read more

Mothers who experience economic and psychological abuse during the first year of a relationship with their child’s father are more likely to become depressed and spank the child in year five, researchers from the Rutgers School of Social Work have found. Read story.… read more

Turner Classic Movies will dedicate the month of October to exploring the ways people with disabilities have been portrayed in film. On behalf of Inclusion in the Arts, Lawrence Carter-Long will join TCM host Ben Mankiewicz (pictured) for The Projected Image: A History of Disability in Film. The special month-long exploration will air Tuesdays in October, beginning Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. (ET)… read more

At a press conference on Oct. 2, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer released a report and survey that uncovered the pervasiveness of economic abuse in New York City, shining a light on a form of domestic violence that takes a heavy toll on victims but too often goes unrecognized and unaddressed. The first-of-its kind report “Economic Abuse: The Untold Cost of Domestic Violence” was co-authored with Sakhi for South Asian Women, a domestic violence advocacy group… read more

Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme is "A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?"… read more

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) will be joined Oct. 2 by a coalition of advocates, elected officials, non-profit leaders, and survivors to illuminate the signs of Times Square purple as a part of OPDV’s statewide Shine the Light on Domestic Violence Campaign. Click here for flyer Nine major Times Square billboards, including ABC Supersign, American Eagle, Bank of… read more

Click here to download the free BFL Breaking Barriers Newsletter. Articles covering the BFL Olympics, staff awards and a team members journey to India… read more

Peace Kitty, the brainchild of owner Kate Martin, has donated a custom T-shirt to the BFL Lavender & Blue Oct. 23 MegaMixer. Since opening shop, Kate has donated 10% of the profits to local animal shelters in Missouri where she operates, and was inspired by BFLs mission. "I am all about kindness and compassion, especially when it comes to animals. I am a kitty mom and have been a kitty… read more

Institute for Healing of Memories Founder Father Michael Lapsely had a launch event for his stirring new memoir, Redeeming the Past, at the United Nations Church Center in Manhattan on September 27. The Keynote Speaker was Helen Clark: Administrator of the United Nations Development Program. Lapsley, born in New Zealand, joined the Society of the Sacred Mission, and was sent to South Africa in 1973. There he became active in the anti-apartheid movement, ultimately joining the African National Congress… read more

Yoga High joined the growing list of sponsors for BFL's Lavender & Blue Mega Mixer on Oct. 23 at XES Lounge. Yoga High donated fab yoga classes as a raffle prize… read more

The famed Gleason's Gym has joined the growing list of sponsors for BFLs Lavender & Blue Mega Mixer.  The Gleason's raffle prize is an empowering boxing/self defense class… read more

Artist/Designer Scooter Laforge has donated a fab raffle prize to BFLs Lavender & Blue Oct. 23 event.  Scooter has created pieces for Debbie Harry, Iggy Pop and Karen O from Yeah Yeah Yeahs as well as Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Olsen (for a movie with Demi Moore and Ellen Barkin called Very Good Girls coming out 2013), Carrie Mulligan (for the movie Shame).  In a recent MetroSource article, he says: "I… read more

The famed Gleason's Gym, which supports many causes through the year, has put out a call for 'All Artists needed for Art Festival ' Artists Wanted! Twenty Six have signed up so far.The Annual DUMBO Art Under The Bridge Festival will be held September 28 through 30, 2012.Over 150,000 visitors will come to DUMBO for this festival. You can be part of it or you can just come and enjoy it. Gleason's… read more

Several new sponsors have signed on for BFL's Lavender &  Blue Mega Mixer on Oct. 23 at XES Lounge including  Scooter LaForge, Desktop Studio and Peace Kitty. A giant thank you shout out from the BFL team… read more

The Women of AWARE  (Assisting Women through Action, Resources & Education) invite you to an evening of Dessert, Drinks & Dancing featuring a fabulous silent auction To benefit Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House The country’s only fully accessible emergency shelter for  disabled victims of domestic violence and their families Thursday, October 18th, 2012 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm Bar 13 121 University Place (between 13th and 14th Streets) 3rd Floor… read more

Honoring survivors, advocates and the NYPD. Star DJ. Awesome Raffle Prizes.Free Drink Tix. Tuesday Oct. 23 6-8pm. XES Lounge NYC 157 W. 24th St. (6&& Ave.) Reserve VIP Tix, Drink Tix, a chance at a fab raffle prize: [email protected]… read more

The New York Latinas Against Domestic Violence, the family of Gladys Ricart, and the 2012 Brides’ March Organizing Committee will hold  the 12th Annual Gladys Ricart and Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at the Fort Washington Heights Presbyterian Church, located at 21 Wadsworth Avenue, corner of West 174th Street in Washington Heights, New York.  Gathering begins at 8:00am. The Invocation Ceremony will take place at 9am. The approximate 7mile walk begins at 10:30am sharp. This annual event… read more

Popular Community Bank recently provided Brooklyn Cyclones baseball tickets and ball caps to residents of BFL's Transitional Housing and Secret Garden programs.  Attendees enjoyed an evening of baseball and community building.  In  Cyclone news, with the season winding down, the Cyclones are on the verge of their fourth consecutive playoff berth… read more

Barrier Free Living Survivors Speakers Bureau, which started in May 2012, has released its first newsletter.  The Bureau looks  "forward to meeting your speaker needs for women with Disabilities. Our founding organizers Theresa McIntosh and Patrice C. Queen encourage your inquiries and opportunities to educate your organization, school, university or event on the issues of domestic violence and its intersection with disabilities." Info: [email protected]… read more

The Paralympics kicked off Aug. 29 in London, with events in everything from wheelchair basketball to Judo. Oscar Pistorius, (pictured) who made history by competing in the summer Olympics, will compete… read more

Philippe Croizon of France a quadruple amputee managed to swim from North America to Asia Friday in a 1 hour and 20 minutes largely thanks to specially designed flippers. Croizon had his arms and legs amputated in 1994 after he was struck by high voltage while on a rooftop. Read more… read more