Executive Summary

On June 6th, 2024, LeDerick Horne Speaks, LLC, in collaboration with the NJ Black I/DD Consortium and the Joseph C. Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies at Rutgers University, convened the “Black Impact Summit: Supporting Individuals with Disabilities” at Rutgers University’s Douglass campus. Funded by the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities (NJCDD), this Summit was a pivotal gathering aimed at addressing and overcoming the barriers faced by Black New Jersey residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), as well as their families, in accessing comprehensive developmental disability support systems in the state.

The Summit gathered 64 participants, including statewide stakeholders and families, to identify challenges and develop actionable recommendations. The format of the Summit included breakout sessions and discussions focused on six key topics: Education, Employment, Mental Health/Social Services, Family/Self Advocacy, Housing, and Law Enforcement. Through these sessions, participants collaboratively generated strategies and recommendations to provide to the NJCDD.

LeDerick Horne speaking at the NJ Black Disability Summit
Speaker at podium at NJ Black Disability Summit

The purpose was to collaboratively address and find solutions for the barriers preventing access to necessary services. Reflecting on this strategic initiative, the Summit not only fostered a deeper understanding of existing challenges but also paved the way for substantial improvements in how services are delivered to this underserved segment of our community. The insights and recommendations from the Summit have been meticulously documented in the comprehensive report below, aimed at ensuring Black NJ residents have access to the full range of disability-related supports and services available throughout the state.

“The summit was an historic event focused on change through conversation, participation, and collaborative Impact.”

“It was important that we included the voices of I/DD Families.”

“The needs of the Black families with disability are immense and until our level of advocacy reaches their level of need, the resources will not be provided.”

“The connection of the summit guests brought an awareness of resources.”

Black child getting hearing aid

Community-driven solutions

The Summit prioritized community engagement through interactive sessions, empowering participants to actively contribute to the discussion.

Mother, father and two black children smiling

Strategic Collaborations

The summit built on existing efforts, leveraging partnerships and insights from ongoing projects to enrich the discussions and outcomes.

Black child learning sign language.

Inclusion & Leadership

The Summit made a deliberate effort to include Black individuals with disabilities in key leadership roles, in line with best practices advocating for hiring from within the community served.

Black family with children at a picnic

Positive Feedback

The participants provided positive feedback and expressed a strong sense of community and empowerment.

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Download the Report

Program Leaders

Phot ok LeDerick Horne with hands together and smilinh
LeDerick Horne

LeDerick Horne

LeDerick Horne, [Director] is the founder of LeDerick Horne Speaks, LLC. This for-profit company is the corporate face for Horne’s work as a writer, speaker, consultant, and disability rights advocate. Horne’s work draws from his own experience as an African American man with a learning disability who successfully transitioned from special education to earning a B.A. in mathematics from New Jersey City University. Horne began his advocacy work as a consultant for the NJ State Department of Education’s “Dare to Dream Student Leadership Conferences.” Among other work, Horne has recently provided organizational support and facilitated virtual workshops for the state of Delaware and Oklahoma for youth and young adults with visual impairments, Autism, and I/DD. Horne’s work focuses on equity, disability identity, and the utilization of evidence-based practices which support self-determination and positive postsecondary outcomes.

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Bill Davis
Bill Davis

Bill Davis

Bill Davis, [Co-Director] experience as a long-standing member of New Jersey’s Black community, as an Adjunct Instructor in Africana Studies, and as a retired member of the Boggs Center’s staff, will enable fluid collaboration with an array of organizations to amplify outreach to key stakeholders. Davis has extensive experience working with school staff, students, and families. During his tenure at the Boggs Center, he was a statewide Positive Behavior Support trainer in schools. The goals of the intervention were to reduce the number of students referred to special education and suspended from schools. Other elevant experience includes working with pre-college students and families in various communities in New Jersey. Davis is an active member of various community organizations including the NAACP, People's Organization for Progress, and the New Jersey Black Issues Convention among others. His extensive work with various institutions and organizations enables him to facilitate the needed community partnerships. Horne and Davis’ collaboration on this project allows for a culturally responsive approach to aid the NJCDD to build capacity and address needs within the Black community.

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Atonia Green Worley
Atonia Green Worley

Atonia Green Worley

Atonia Green Worley [Event Coordinator] is a dedicated caregiver and lifelong resident of New Jersey. She is the mother of a 25-year-old son diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and has devoted nearly 23 years to improving outcomes for individuals and families affected by ASD. In 2005, Atonia and six families founded Garden Academy in West Orange to address the lack of high-quality educational services for those with ASD. Currently, she is the founder and operator of Xceptional Services LLC, continuing her mission to provide exceptional services to the disability community. Atonia also served as an officer for the State of New Jersey for almost 30 years, retiring in March 2022. She has been married for 27 years and has four children.

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