Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda Award Winner International Activist as the Executive Director of CIL!

With his extensive experience as a global advocate for disability rights and his innovative vision, Dr. Pineda is set to lead the Center for Independent Living into an exhilarating new chapter of empowerment and inclusion.

Victor Santiago Pineda was born in Caracas, Venezuela, At the age of two, Pineda was hospitalized with a high fever and for the next five years he demonstrated gradual weakening of his skeletal muscles. By age four, his weakened muscles caused him to fall repeatedly and by age seven, he stopped walking completely. His muscular deterioration would continue and eventually affect his breathing. By the time he was in high school, he needed to use a ventilator at night, and by the time he started his doctoral program in his late-twenties, he required a ventilator twenty-four hours per day.

As a child, Pineda was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA-Type II), a form of muscular dystrophy. However, as an adult, he was examined by a neurophysiologist who, with the use of electromyography, determined that there was no evidence to suggest Spinal muscular atrophy. The specific cause of Pineda's muscle weakness was identified as collagenopathy VI, resulting from an extremely common genetic mutation.

Pineda attended Corona Del Mar High School in Newport Beach, California, and was selected by his graduating class as a commencement speaker. Upon graduating in 1997, Pineda attended the California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities (YLF). As a freshman at the University of California Berkeley, he received specialized support services provided by the Disabled Students Office (DSP) and participated in the Disabled Students Residence Program (DSRP).

While at UC Berkeley was elected senator for the ASUC student government, defended ethnic studies, with the leadership of Andrew Berk, he helped resurrect the long dormant Disabled Students Union (DSU). During this time he established the Disability Media Initiative (DMI) and the Pineda Foundation to provide 21st century workforce skills to youth with disabilities. Pineda earned a B.A. in political economy, a B.S. in business administration and, eventually, a master's degree in city and regional planning (MCP) with a concentration in regional economic development. He then accepted an internship in Washington, D.C., where he served as a summer associate at the US Treasury's Department of International Affairs.

Pineda was awarded the Paul G. Hearne Award.Pineda's "It's About Ability" projectwas honored in Montenegro for the Best Humanitarian Action by UNICEF.Also in 2011, he received the prestigious Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement by a Young Alumnus/a, Cal Alumni Association for his work in education and human rights.

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The White House, Smithsonian, NY Times Washington Post, PBS Have featured the Quander Families nearly 340 Year Roots BEFORE the forming of the United States of America to Now.

This Week I Look at Highlighs of Life & Time of America's Archived Oldest Black Families: the AmQuando Families Journey & Present Day Walk in America

My Guest is Rohulamin Quander, a native Washingtonian, is a retired Senior Administrative Law Judge for the District of Columbia. He is also a member of the Quander Family whose distinguished history in the Washington, D.C. area is traced to the 1670s, which legacy includes Mount Vernon Plantation ancestors Sukey Bay, Nancy Carter Quander, and West Ford, among others, all of whom were in involuntary service to George Washington. Judge Quander periodically serves as an advisor to Mount Vernon, most recently in the exhibit, Lives Bound Together, Slavery at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and still maintains close ties. He often serves as a guest lecturer on African American History.

A double graduate from Howard University, from which he received his J.D. degree, Judge Quander founded the Quander Historical and Educational Society, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) foundation in 1985. The Society was established to document, preserve, protect, and share the history of the Quander Family, a product widely recognized as an educational tool.

His continued years of service include addressing human and civil rights inequities among the Dalit (Untouchable) population of India, one of his ancestral homelands. To date, the author of four books, Judge Quander’s newest book is titled, The Quanders – Since 1684, An Enduring African American Legacy. Judge Quander is also a licensed and certified District of Columbia tour guide. His tours feature traditional Monuments and Memorials, African American History and Culture, and can also be tailored to your personal needs and wishes.

Married to Carmen Torruella Quander, internationally acclaimed artist, they have three adult children and one grandchild. They reside in Washington, D.C.

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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy® Honoree, Hollywood Walk of Fame

Let's Celebrate Rock & Roll Hall of Fame IHonoree Robert " Kool" Bell & Kool & The Gang!

Robert's NEW Brand is. La Kool. lKool had always envisioned having his own brand out of Europe. For many years, he sought out Grand Cru Vineyards from owners that have been selling for generations and decided to work with Paul Berthelot, a Multi-Vintage Grand Cru Producer since 1884.

Kool & the Gang, officially launched in 1969, after performing for five years under various band titles, has influenced the music of three generations and the band has become true recording industry legends. Thanks to iconic songs like Celebration, Cherish, Jungle Boogie, Summer Madness and Open Sesame, they’ve earned two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits and 31 gold and platinum albums

In 1969, Kool & the Gang released their self-titled debut album/ It was the introduction to a theme, music is the message, that Kool & the Gang stands by today. The instrumental album was an expression of their deep love of music. It was also an introduction to their signature sound and the fierce horn arrangements created by Khalis, Dee Tee, and Spike. Their debut album spawned their first Billboard R&B charted single Kool & the Gang and later Let the Music Take Your Mind. In 1970, their audacious sophomore set Live at the Sex Machine peaked at #6 on Billboard’s R&B chart and yielded three hit singles: Funky Man, Who’s Gonna Take the Weight, and I Want to Take You Higher. Next came The Best Of Kool & the Gang Featuring The Penguin, Kool & the Gang Live at PJ’S, Music Is The Message, and Good Times, all of which helped solidify a sound that wowed not only fans but such contemporaries as James Brown and Nina Simone.e 80’s would see them dominate the mainstream, starting with the double platinum-selling album Celebrate (driven by the international monster hit Celebration, which spent six weeks atop the R&B chart and became a #1 Pop single). Celebration, which played as the American hostages returned from Iran, remains de rigueur at joyous occasions worldwide. The smashes Get Down On It, Take My Heart, Let’s Go Dancing, Joanna, Tonight, Misled, the #1 R&B, #2 Pop giant Cherish and the #1 R&B anthem Fresh (these last three from the multi- platinum LP Emergency) solidified the group’s international stardom. Kool & the Gang landed global commercial endorsements, supported countless charitable causes and were the only American group to participate in Band Aid’s 1984 Do They Know It’s Christmas project for famine victims in Africa. With the explosion of hip-hop in the 90’s, Kool & the Gang’s incredible catalog of grooves made them DJ favorites. They were second only to R&B icon James Brown as sources of rap music samples. Today, the group enjoys global fame and recognition and a following that spans generations due in part to the groups widely sampled catalogue.

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