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BALTIMORE, July 30, 2024 – Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) is pleased to announce that Senator Clarence Lam, who represents Howard and Anne Arundel Counties Maryland in the General Assembly, will receive the Public Policy Leadership Award at DRM’s 2024 Breaking Barriers Awards Gala. The gala will be held on Thursday, September 26, at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.  

DRM’s Public Policy Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have shown outstanding dedication and creativity in shaping and advancing legislation that helps create a more inclusive and just world for people with disabilities.  

Senator Lam went the extra mile this legislative session, centering the voices of people with disabilities and advocating for choice over coercion. He spearheaded critical anti-discrimination bills and educated the senate finance committee on the need to focus on disability rights in the policy making process. His sponsorship of the Self-Directed Mental Health Care bill and his steadfast opposition to assisted outpatient treatment left a profound impact on our community.  

Senator Lam showed people with disabilities that he is a true ally. His integrity, courage, and commitment to justice exemplifies the essence of this award.  

To learn more about DRM’s Breaking Barriers Awards Gala, visit DisabilityRightsMD.org/Breaking-Barriers-Gala.  

About Clarence Lam, MD, MPH, FACPM 
Dr. Clarence Lam is a state senator representing District 12 (Howard and Anne Arundel Counties) in the Maryland General Assembly, where he serves on the Senate Finance Committee and the Executive Nominations Committee.  He chairs the Howard County Delegation, the Joint Committee on Audits and Evaluations, and the Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight.  He is also a member of the Anne Arundel County Delegation and is the chair emeritus of the Asian American & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.  He is currently the only physician and the only Asian American legislator in the Senate of Maryland.  In October 2023, Senate President Ferguson appointed him to become the first Asian American chair or vice chair of a Senate committee.  He previously served in the Maryland General Assembly as a state delegate from 2015-2019. 

Dr. Lam serves on the faculty of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health as an assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management.  He leads the school’s preventive medicine residency program as its program director and practices clinically as the medical director of occupational medicine at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.  He is board certified in preventive medicine and occupational medicine.  

For two years beginning in March 2020, he served as the interim director for Occupational Health Services and the Department of Health, Safety, and Environment for Johns Hopkins Medicine and University where he was responsible for the health and wellbeing of over 50,000 employees in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Florida throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

About Disability Rights Maryland (DRM)
Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advances the rights of people with disabilities in Maryland. DRM provides free legal services to address issues like abuse, neglect, or discrimination that might occur in education, housing, transportation, healthcare, voting, and more. Ensuring that people with disabilities don’t have to live in institutions unnecessarily is a primary goal. DRM envisions a world where everyone has access to the services they need to fully participate in the workplace, neighborhoods, and all aspects of community life. 

Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) is pleased to announce that Mat Rice, Public Policy Director, People On the Go Maryland, will be the recipient of the Gayle Hafner Grassroots Advocacy Award at DRM’s 2023 Breaking Barriers Awards Gala on Wednesday, September 20, at the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) in Baltimore, Maryland.

The award’s namesake, Gayle Hafner, was a trailblazer civil rights attorney at DRM whose zealous advocacy for full inclusion in every aspect of community life improved the quality of life for people with disabilities. Established in 2015, the award honors community leaders who empower individuals to take initiative, collaborate and drive positive change.

Mat is an inspirational leader who embodies Gayle Hafner’s courage, drive and effectiveness.

As the lead facilitator on the Equal Employment Coalition, Mat gathered support from community members and advocates to enact the Ken Capone Equal Employment Act, which abolished the payment of subminimum wages to people with disabilities in Maryland. 

When Mat served as Director of Public Policy at The ARC of Maryland, he was instrumental in their work advocating for people with disabilities, particularly during the legislative sessions. In addition to leading many policy priorities, he led the Empowering Partners Self-Advocacy initiative pilot, which raises awareness about the value of self-advocacy and strengthens self-advocacy groups throughout Maryland.

Mat’s powerful public speaking during Maryland legislative sessions inspires people with disabilities and their families to educate Maryland legislators on issues which impact their quality of life. He bravely and selflessly leverages his own personal experiences to rectify the inequities of discrimination against people with disabilities.

To learn more about DRM’s Breaking Barriers Awards Gala, visit DisabilityRightsMD.org/Breaking-Barriers-Gala.

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About Mat Rice:

Mat Rice currently serves as the Public Policy Director and Advocacy Coordinator at People On the Go Maryland. He is a disability advocate and former student at the Maryland School for the Blind and Parkville High School. Mat has served as a support broker and administrative support assistant for Shared Support Maryland, Inc. where he worked for over four years. Mat was formerly the public policy director and project lead for the Empowering Partners self-advocacy initiative at The Arc Maryland. He also served as the public policy specialist for People On the Go. Additionally, Mat served as a board member of Maryland Association of Community Services and MD Works, Inc., and he currently serves as the chair of the Developmental Disabilities Administration Quality Advisory Council.

Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) is pleased to announce that Eric Luedtke, who serves as Chief Legislative Officer in Governor Wes Moore’s administration, will be honored as the recipient of DRM’s Public Policy Leadership Award at our 2023 Breaking Barriers Awards Gala. The Awards Gala will be held on Wednesday, September 20, at the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Public Policy Leadership Award celebrates individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment, dedication, and ingenuity in shaping and advancing legislation that fosters a more inclusive and equitable world for individuals with disabilities.

For over eleven years from 2011 to January 2023, Eric represented Montgomery County in the Maryland House of Delegates and championed a wide range of issues, with a particular focus on education, environmental concerns and the rights of individuals with disabilities.

Drawing on his background as a middle school social studies teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools for eleven years, Eric spearheaded the preparation and delivery of a written request to the State Department of Education calling for the inclusion of lessons on the LGBTQ+ and disability rights movements in history curricula. Through his unwavering advocacy and with the support of 47 lawmakers, the request was approved. Maryland’s educational curricula now incorporate the rich history of the disability rights movement.

Eric’s successful efforts to advocate for limitations on the use of restraint and seclusion in public schools, as well as the promotion of a restorative approach to student discipline, resulted in improved outcomes and enhanced equity for students with disabilities in Maryland.

Moreover, Eric played a crucial role in the establishment of key initiatives such as the Therapeutic Child Care Grant Program, Work Opportunity Tax Credit for individuals with disabilities and the Maryland ABLE Program. These programs have significantly expanded access to vital resources that foster financial stability and independence for individuals with disabilities.

To learn more about DRM’s Breaking Barriers Awards Gala, visit DisabilityRightsMD.org/Breaking-Barriers-Gala.

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About Eric Luedtke:

A Maryland native and graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, Eric started his career as a social studies teacher for Montgomery County Public Schools. In 2010, he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, where over three terms he was one of the legislature’s leaders on education, economic development, and disability policy. In 2019, he was selected by Speaker Adrienne Jones to serve as House Majority Leader and to help lead Democrats in the House of Delegates. In addition to his legislative service, Eric taught in the School of Public Policy at his alma mater, leaving his elected position and professorship in 2023 to join the Moore administration. He lives in Montgomery County with his wife Dawn, a member of the Montgomery County Council, and their four children.