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Dupree Edwards: A Rapper with a Meaningful Mission
ICI staff Dupree Edwards spoke with WCCO TV about acceptance, employment, the need for DSPs and PCAs to earn higher wages, and accessibility. "And that is what the whole fight is for, that we can be part of the community."
Edwards says there are two big ways people without disabilities can support people with disabilities: Make your businesses accessible and consider hiring people with disabilities.
David Johnson: Unwavering Commitment
With sadness, colleagues at the University of Minnesota are mourning the passing of David R. Johnson on July 4. Johnson, who led ICI from 1997 to 2018, devoted his career to improving education for students with disabilities. He helped develop the foundational roots of ICI in the 1980s as a center of excellence in moving people with developmental disabilities out of institutions and into full lives in their communities of choice.
“We are saddened by the death of our colleague and friend,” ICI Director Amy Hewitt said. “David was one of the most respected leading experts in the nation for his work related to the transition from school to adult life.”
The Power of Play
As a parent and education professional, Shauna McDonald knows the value of play. A former ICI staff member, she is now executive director of Playworks Minnesota.
“Play is a universal behavior and a critical social determinant of health,” she said. “It shapes how children understand the world, develop their brains, and build essential skills like teamwork, empathy, and resilience.”
