California Disability Community Action Network

SHIRLEY KLEIN, BELOVED FRIEND, POET AND ADVOCATE PASSES AWAY AT AGE 74 IN NEVADA CITY, CA  - "CELEBRATION OF LIFE" MEMORIAL TO BE HELD SATURDAY

SACRAMENTO -   Shirley Klein, a beloved friend, poet and disability rights advocate passed away unexpectedly in her sleep at age 74, in her home with her extended family in Nevada City.  A "Celebration of Life" memorial will be held Saturday (May 5) morning at 10:0 AM at the Sierra Friends Center in Grass Valley.  Her longtime support worker and part of her extended family, Hilary Ellis-Lavigne, was heartbroken at her passing, and with a voice breaking with emotion said that  "we miss her so much". 
Klein (pictured, left, in a recent photo) was formerly a member of Capitol People First and also an early original strong supporter of the California Disability Community Action Network (CDCAN). that she remained involved with. 
[NOTE FROM MARTY OMOTO: Shirley Klein was a close and good friend and she is terribly missed.  She said after the loss of my sisters in 2003 and 2005 that she was my "soul sister" and I was her other "soul brother" and was a tremendous comfort. There is a lingering awful emptiness with her passing that is only somewhat relieved by reading and remembering the beautiful words she wrote and left for all of us. 
I'm writing a tribute but for now I hope people will send their thoughts and prayers to Shirley's extended family who feel overwhelmed by the loss. Her extended family wanted me to be there for the memorial and to help (with others) to scatter her ashes. I plan to be there to honor her as she has honored us in her life.   I will include an address where people can send their thoughts and condolences.]

Klein Originally From West Virginia
* Klein, who had developmental disabilities (cerebral palsy) was originally was from West Virginia where she worked as an information representative for the state's Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. 
* She entered college in 1968, earning a bachelor of arts degree in English at Marshall University and later continued her education at West Virginia State College.
* She moved to California eventually - and lived in Sacramento, receiving services funded through Alta California Regional Center.  She and her extended family moved to Nevada City in late August  2004. 

Known for Her Poetry
* Klein was especially known for her sensitive poetry that ranged from deep personal experience about love and desire for companionship to noting the signing of the Americans With Disabilities Act to writing poetry specifically for rallies and protests that drew thousands of people.
* She published her first book of poetry in 1983 titled "Of Bitter Choice" and second volume in 1993 "Seedlings". 
* A later volume was published in 2004 by the Independent Living Center of San Francisco that contained selections of poetry from both earlier volumes. 

"Each day, after the story about the publication of my first book went nation-wide, the mail would bring handfuls of letters from al over the country" Shirley wrote and how a particular "...poem touch a life here or there moved me deeply.  Although I have never physically reproduced a replica of myself, I still can share my inner being in way that others might value and draw strength from." 

While living in Sacramento she became part of local writers group where she shared her poetry - including new poems.  When she announced she was moving to Nevada City, a farewell poetry reading was held at a local bookstore.  She read - along with Hilary Ellis-Lavigne, her beloved and longtime support worker and part of her extended family, many of her poems, including several that she wrote specifically for CDCAN. 

In recent months up to the time of her unexpected passing, Klein was teaching poetry to high school students at the Quaker-run Sierra Friends Center. 
Hilary Ellis-Lavigne said that Klein wrote many poems over recent years on a computer - though many of those were lost due to a failure of the harddrive, though some were written on scraps of paper that she hopes will be published in some way.  Many of Shirley Klein's poems she said were "in her head" and never written down anywhere. 

Early Supporter of CDCAN - Wrote Many Poems for Protest Rallies
* Klein helped in the early development of the California Disability Community Action Network, and also composed several poems specifically for several CDCAN organized events, and rallies - including the poem posted on the CDCAN website for the past several years.
* She expressed pride when her poem was read before 4,500 people massed outside the North Steps of the Capitol in December 2003 to protest the proposed cuts and proposed suspension of the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act by the Governor.
* After moving to Nevada City - about an hour from Sacramento, Klein continued to periodically come to the State Capitol for rallies and hearings - and also participated in CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings.
* CDCAN will schedule within the next few weeks a special townhall telemeeting remembering Shirley Klein.

REMEMBERING SHIRLEY KLEIN -  TWO POEMS
[CDCAN Note: I will include other selections of her poems in my tribute to Shirley and post on the CDCAN website]

Signing of the ADA (Dedicated to my father, William Klein, who died the next day)
By Shirley Klein

When the last pen stroke died
my father slept assured
that promises would finally open their front doors to me
which I could enter on ramped opportunities
into broad hallways
that no longer held the tyranny UPSTAIRS,
- that I could see the splendor of Beethoven
or feel the texture of Michaelangelo;;
- that I could read the voice of a distant child
or hear the softness in my lover's eyes
or type the answer to my mother's touch
- that my learning would be measured by my will
and not by barbed numbers
- that my wheels could take flight to open adventures
or ride the rails of access through the beauty of my land
Yes, my father could finally rest
After the pen parted the waters
And he saw me to the shore
That had eluded us so long

Published 1993 - Seedlings

Our Voices United 
by Shirley Klein (written for a CDCAN organized rally of over 4,500 people in 2003 - this poem has been posted on the CDCAN website for yeas]  

Our voices united,
The peril undone
We stand tall together,
But we've only begun.

Our freedoms are threatened,
Our lives on the line
We don't have tomorrow, 
Today is our time.

Let our unity thunder,
Till power and greed
Both crumple before,
The depth of our need.

Let our unity Clamor,
For all who have died
Because no one would hear them, 
Or come to their side

Contributions URGENTLY Needed To Continue
The California Disability Community Action Network is a non-partisan link to tens of thousands of Californians in every community, including people of color, people of every type of disability, including people with physical disabilities, people with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain and other injures, people with mental health needs, seniors, people with MS, Alzheimer's and others, and all of their families, community organizations and providers, direct care and other workers, and other advocates. These action alerts and news reports, townhall telemeetings and other projects is for all of them.

To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports.  sent out and read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN "Advocacy WIthout Borders Townhall Telemeetings" which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues. Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):

CDCAN 
1225 8th Street Suite 480
Sacramento, CA 95814
or go to the CDCAN website at  and click on "DONATE TO CDCAN" to contribute using credit card via Paypal.

The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or content in these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC UCEDD. 

MANY THANKS to Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, Parents Helping Parents, Arriba, Strategies To Empower People, Parents Helping Parents, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, and hundreds of individuals.