Derek Schmitz's Blog, page 6

DS on Fiverr Freelance Services

Today, I’m announcing and opening up my DS on Fiverr Freelance Services.

DS on Fiverr is the brand-new branch of my personal brand that works on freelance projects. I currently offer three services: WordPress site creation, logo creation, and blog post writing. Descriptions and prices of these services and their packages are below.

I offer WordPress site creation and management. Site creation is $40 flat, for a visually appealing and responsive site including home, blog, “About Me”, and contact pages and 5 revisions with a 3-day delivery time. You can book this gig with me here.

I also offer logo design services. Each order creates one unique logo concept based on your brand colors, brand name/initials, and a brand font in one day for $5. You will receive a high-quality image, fit for use in print or digital spaces. Two revisions are included free. Extra revisions/concepts, transparent logos, stationery kits, and social media kits are available as extras. You can book this gig with me here.

I can write blog posts for you on topics regarding mental health, disability, or any researchable topic! My basic package includes 1 keyword, 250 words, and 2 revisions for $10 with delivery in 2 days. My second tier package includes 2 keywords, 500 words, and 3 revisions for $20 with delivery in 4 days. My top-tier package includes research on topics, 3 keywords, 1000 words, 5 revisions, and citations for $45 with delivery in 7 days. Additional words and extra-fast delivery are available for each package. You can book this gig with me here.

All of these services are powered by and hosted on Fiverr. Please click the links above to book your respective gig or click here to view my Fiverr profile! I can’t wait for these to launch and to work with you!

Uber’s Negligence to Driver Discrimination

Uber has a long history of negligence as its drivers actively discriminate against riders on the basis of gender, disability status, and race. It cannot be allowed to go on unchecked any longer. Uber’s “policies” regarding anti-discrimination are vague and, from the public eye, rarely enforced against drivers who violate them, especially in cases of disability discrimination. Additionally, Uber’s status as a ride operator in multiple countries, coupled with the fact that it is a multi-billion dollar corporation appears to make executives believe that we, the consumers that put them in their precarious position, don’t care about this track record. We do, and we won’t rest until justice is done and publicly disclosed in these cases.  

Uber’s discrimination starts at the top, as it does in most Fortune 500 companies (rank #281 as of 6/2/21). Only three members of the eleven-member executive team are women, and they work in female-dominated areas (namely communications and diversity roles) and have no other place in the company.  Uber’s misogynistic and ableist values continue all the way to the bottom of the company, as Uber’s hiring process for drivers (who serve as “independent contractors” and are not working directly under or with others at Uber) does not question how a prospective driver would react to having a disabled or LGBTQ+ rider or provide education to limit prejudice and explain how situations like those should be handled, which leads to instances of mistreatment of disabled, LGBTQ+, and non-white people. 

A friend of mine named Reem Abdulkader exposed me to an incident that happened to her friend, Engy Haytham’s, family in Egypt which led me to the decision to cover Uber’s consistent malpractice in the United States and across the world.

In the interest of full disclosure, though I have done my own research and created my own objectives with this piece, Reem worked with me from the start, provided facts and objectives for Engy’s story. Engy and other people’s stories I have mentioned were allowed to review this piece prior to publication. All participants in this article have signed and dated media release forms. All content in this article is protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.  

Engy’s story starts with her brother Seif, who is autistic. Many autistic people require structure and routine and have meltdowns (categorized in Seif’s case as causing response ticks and faint crying) when things like routines get interrupted. To accommodate Seif’s disability, his mother made a simple and totally reasonable request: for the driver to take a route that fits better within Seif’s typical routines. The driver rudely declined and said, “get him a car with a driver, don’t request an Uber” as he kicked the two of them out and sped off, leaving them stranded on the side of the road. 

Uber has no physical building, contact phone number, or effective means of contact in Egypt for passengers or drivers, making it extremely hard for Engy or her family to report the incident or get a response. Multiple drivers told us that the only way to get a quick or effective response from Uber in this situation would have been to lie about the situation and say something “more serious” happened, such as a car wreck. They also affirmed that the only way they can contact an Uber representative is through the app, and that getting a response takes very long. 

Uber finally responded to a request for comment by the family with a non-apology citing “internal reviews” and “confidentiality” when pressed to elaborate on specific actions they have taken to make things right. This “apology” came only after the story went “viral enough” after Engy wrote a Facebook post detailing the incident.

Transparency on all accounts and having access to public copies of anti-discrimination and sexual harassment policies are very important and should be expected by all Fortune 500 companies. Furthermore, there should be a public list of the hiring criteria used in Egypt, an Egyptian method of contact within Uber, a legitimate response and clear action in the case of Engy’s brother, and a legitimate apology for emotional trauma caused to Engy and her family. 

Seif’s story is an unacceptable example of one of the many “disability horror stories” that come from Uber riders in the United States and around the world. Emily is a friend of mine here in the United States with multiple disabilities that require her to use a wheelchair, which is sometimes a problem with Uber’s drivers who sometimes see her as a liability and aren’t provided training or know-how to fold up her wheelchair. Emily told me that drivers have told her that there is a way to request accessible rides and accommodations beforehand, but neither she or I have been able to find that option anywhere in the app. She also reports being denied rides or having drivers complain about her disabilities and need for a wheelchair throughout the ride. This is a very common occurrence in the United States that receives copy/pasted statements and no action in response unless you can make the story “viral enough” to begin affecting Uber’s bottom line. 

I will not dispute that Uber is an important service provider to those who need rides and assistance in getting from place to place. It’s sometimes the only way a person has to navigate. But, Uber, as an international multi-billion dollar corporation, has a responsibility to make it’s service as accessible and safe as possible, in all areas it serves. Right now, it is failing to meet that responsibility. I urge you to boycott Uber if you are able and join me in raising a stink about issues like the ones I’ve laid out here until they are forced to respond and take decisive action and publicize actions they are taking to stop issues like these from happening so frequently.  

If an Uber representative would like a comment included in this story, I urge you to contact me at derek@derekschmitz.com. I will also connect you with Ms. Abdulkader, Ms. Haytham, and Ms. Pember so we can work together to address their issues and create the changes I aligned above.

Thank you all for reading, and I once again urge you to boycott Uber if you are able and join me, Emily, Engy, and Reem in raising a stink about issues like the ones I’ve laid out here until Uber is forced to respond and take decisive action and publicize actions they are taking to stop issues like these from happening so frequently. 

Sevan: A Gay, Disabled Teen Romance Release Updates

I have some very important Sevan: A Gay, Disabled Teen Romance release and scheduling updates to announce. Please read this, even though it’s long! I’ve also attached a TL;DR at the bottom if you just want to read that.

Pre-orders will automatically deliver to devices on June 4.
General Kindle sales start on June 5 and any purchases on that date and anytime thereafter deliver immediately.
You can order at: go.derekschmitz.com/sevan.

I may end up doing a Twitter LIVE or a Space to celebrate the launch, but I’m not sure yet. Stay tuned for updates on that front.

We are working on a paperback! There are some edits I still need to work through before I will send the copy to be formatted for print. I’m hoping to have them done by the 5th and send it for formating right after, but I’m not sure I can do that and still offer my best work. I’m shooting for a paperback to be orderable by June 15th, but after I finish these edits, I still have formatting to get done, and then wait for my proofs before I can confidently approve them. I will allow Amazon to begin shipping and distribution of it as soon as I can.

Regardless if I have paperbacks out by June 15, I will issue an update to Kindle copies on this date to reflect the edits I’ve made between the original publication and that date. I’ll provide more info on how to update copies on June 15, so please be on the lookout for that.

I can’t wait for all of you to get your hands on my book baby and (hopefully) fall in love with my characters and my story.

TL;DR:
-Preorders release June 4.
-Regular sales start June 5.
-Order at go.derekschmitz.com/sevan
-Paperback and last-minute edits are in progress.
-I’ll approve the paperback for sale as soon as I can.
-An update to Kindle copies will be pushed on June 15.

I can’t wait!

SSI is a broken, traumatizing system.

Can we talk about how disabled people are forced into/kept in poverty below the federal poverty line? And how traumatizing the process of applying is?

Federal poverty is $1,073/mo. SSI is $785/mo if you can get it.

The amount of paperwork and “proof” you have to provide that you are

1) “disabled enough”
and
2) so disabled you can’t work

is more than enough work and trauma for a lifetime.

It should be unacceptable. But since disabled people are seen as less than, it’s magically “okay” per ableds.

National Society of High School Scholars Official Induction Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact
pr@nshss.org
404-235-5500
(Fax) 404-235-5510

STUDENT DEREK SCHMITZ RECEIVES NATIONAL HONOR

Oxford High School student recognized for superior academic achievement by The National Society of High School Scholars

ATLANTA, GA – March 27, 2021 – The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) today announced
student Derek Schmitz from Eastaboga, AL, has been selected to become a member of the esteemed
organization. The Society recognizes top scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship
and community commitment. The announcement was made by NSHSS Founder and Chairman Claes Nobel,
senior member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes.

“On behalf of NSHSS, I am honored to recognize the hard work, sacrifice and commitment that Derek has
demonstrated to achieve this exceptional level of academic excellence,” said Nobel. “Derek is now a member
of a unique community of scholars – a community that represents our very best hope for the future.”
“We are proud to provide lifetime membership to young scholars to support their growth and development,”
stated NSHSS President James W.Lewis. “We aim to help students like Derek build on their academic success
by connecting them with unique learning experiences and resources to help prepare them for college and
meaningful careers.”

NSHSS members automatically become lifetime members at the time of their initial membership. At each step
along the way – from high school to college to career – NSHSS connects outstanding young scholars with the
resources they need to develop their strengths and pursue their passions.

Formed in 2002 by James W. Lewis and Claes Nobel, senior member of the family that established the Nobel
Prizes, The National Society of High School Scholars recognizes academic excellence at the high school level
and helps to advance the goals and aspirations of high-achieving students through unique learning
experiences, scholarships, internships, international study and peer networks. Currently there are more than
1,700,000 Society members in over 170 countries. To help us further efforts that provide students with
continued opportunity, please acknowledge NSHSS in any press release mentions by providing a resource link
to http://www.nshss.org. For more information about NSHSS visit www.nshss.org

Raise the Minimum Wage to $15/hour

80.4 million Americans, 58.3% of the workforce, currently make the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, which hasn’t changed since 2009. $7.25/hr comes out to rougly $14,500/yr or $1,208/mo. This is not a livable wage in 2021. The average cost of living in the United States is $20,195/person/year which converts roughly to $1,682/person/month. If a person makes $1,208 per month and their living expenses are $1,682 per month, they’re about $475 short at the end of the month.

But, if we raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hr, annual and monthly incomes will be $31,200 and $2,600, respectively. Going off the previously provided figures for the cost of living, at $15/hr the average minimum wage worker would be able to afford to live and have approximately $918/mo to put into other engagements like investing, debt repayment, and creating an emergency fund.

Raising the minimum wage to $15/hr is a 207% increase from $7.25. It’s important to note that if the increase goes into effect, consumers may see a slight increase in prices, but there would be no direct impact on taxes. The only thing that a minimum wage increase would do to the huge companies who exploit it and have more than enough money to make the increase is force those companies to pay workers fairly. Also, raising the minimum wage would stimulate the economy and create new opportunities for job growth. Forcing companies to pay a liveable wage will reduce poverty by some 6.8 million people, which in turn will also save the government $7.6 billion on welfare payments. Also, a minimum wage increase will reduce pay inequalities based on gender and race.

If you can, please get involved in government and help us increase the federal minimum wage to $15/hr. The best way to get involved is by demanding that your local, state, and federal officials raise the minimum wage. You can find your officials by going to https://go.derekschmitz.com/reps. Once you’re there, enter your address. When the search returns, locate the contact information for your state Senator and House member, as well as your federal ones. After you have their information, use it. Call, email, and write them about what an increase would do for you. Always request a response.

Let’s get to work to get the minimum wage raised!

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Willie B. Smith III, An AL Death Row Inmate: A Direct Human Rights, Disability Justice, and Religious Freedom Case

Willie B. Smith III is currently on the Alabama Department of Corrections Death Row serving a 1992 sentence for the kidnapping and murder of Sharma Ruth Johnson. There is no doubt of the seriousness of his crime. However, his punishment does not fit his crime. His case is directly a human rights, disability justice, and religious freedom matter.

No person deserves death at the hands of their own government. 

To add to that; Smith has a clinical diagnosis of an intellectual disability, verified by clinically accepted diagnostic material presented to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Being intellectually disabled directly disqualifies him from execution under the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution, as execution has been seen and upheld by the United States Supreme Court as a cruel and unusual punishment. However, even though these facts were presented, the Courts have declined to apply the diagnosis to his case. He is facing cruel and unusual punishment because a court has decided to invalidate his disability and not apply it to his case. This is far too common among Alabama Death Row cases. 

Additionally; Smith is being denied access to his spiritual figure of choice, his pastor, Pastor Robert Paul Wiley Jr in the event of his execution. This is yet another commonality among Alabama Death Row cases, adding to Alabama’s long track record of religious freedom violations among Death Row inmates. 

I spoke with Ms. Emily E. Pember, BCC, LPC-I, regarding the importance of having a religious figure present during death. She said, “Everyone deals with death differently, and literally every experience is unique. People often talk about wanting to make sure their loved ones are taken care of. They often hold on until they know everyone will be OK. Some hold on until they see a specific person. People often share regrets, ask deep questions about life and death and what comes next. In between, there is often silence and small talk. I look at it like a dance where the patient (or family depending on who I’m talking with) is leading. My role as the chaplain is to do reflective listening, offer to counsel where appropriate, and ultimately make sure everyone feels safe. I offer comfort through my presence, my words, a touch (often holding a hand)… Sometimes people want to do a life review, read scriptures that are important to them, and/or pray. Sometimes people want their clergy contacted and I often make that contact. I have also visited people/families alongside their spiritual leader(s). I have helped in other ways when needed, but these are what come to mind that I do consistently. The thing people are often surprised by is that there is often a lot of joy and laughter alongside tears and grief. Also, many people talk about what they’re seeing on the other side (I call that heaven), which is pretty amazing to experience alongside them! Sometimes, though, what they are experiencing feels scary to them. I support them as much as I can and find ways to help them relax no matter what they are experiencing. They often describe it to me and we pray or sing or read their favorite scriptures. Sometimes we work on reframing stories…looking at them in different ways or rewriting the story in ways that feel good or safe to them.” This is just one experience of how religious figures impact a death, which perfectly illustrates the importance of having one present. Mr. Smith has one. Religious freedom is defined in the Constitution and is a human right. He should be allowed to use him if he is unfortunately executed at the hands of the State of Alabama.

His execution, originally scheduled for Feb 11, was postponed until at least Feb 16, as he was granted a stay of execution to review his religious and disability claims. 

Let me reiterate: he is not eligible for execution. It is a violation of the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution, considered a cruel and unusual punishment. Limiting his access to his pastor through this time can also be interpreted as a cruel and unusual punishment, and is a direct violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. 

We still have time to save his life. What can we do? Call, write, and email Governor Kay Ivey and urge her to convene a board and ultimately grant clemency to Willie B. Smith III based on an unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment by his diagnosis of an intellectual disability and the direct violation of his religious freedom by consistently limiting his access to his pastor. 

Let’s get to work and save his life. We don’t have much time.

TAKE ACTION: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-execution-of-willie-smith-in-alabama/

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/urge-gov-ivey-to-save-willie-b-smith-iii

New Brand

As we kick off the second month of 2021, I felt it was time for a revamp of my personal brand. Therefore, I have created a new logo. This new logo is simple, yet incorporates the key elements of my identity. I hope you like it!

My 2020 Reflection and 2021 Goals

Happy New Year’s Eve! 2020 has been a year of hell on Earth for pretty much everyone. So, I’m not going to spend much time reflecting on it, rather I’m going to spend most of this post focusing on moving forward.

This year was rough for me for many reasons, but also positive in some ways.

To start off the year, I was publicly outed on Twitter by a close friend. You can read more about that here. I won’t go into too any detail here other than linking to what I’ve already said because the whole experience was really traumatic and I don’t have the emotional capacity to rehash that right now.

Then, the pandemic hit, which has sucked for pretty much everybody around the world, but especially in the US due to mismanagement by Trump. And the fact that it’s still going on doesn’t help. I can’t even remember pre-pandemic life anymore. And it’s exhausting.

During Pride Month, I was targeted by the Operation Pridefall group (post about that here) and that really shook me up. It was my first pride out and the group was posting and DMing horrific images and homophobic things to LGBTQ people.

In the middle of all of that, I was forced to deal with (what we now know as) worsening arthritis pain. At the time, my back “just hurt” and I was brushed off by every medical professional that I came into contact with. I have a theory that ever since my back started hurting 3 years ago, this arthritis has been building up. About a month or two ago, I finally persuaded my PCP to write me a rheumatology referral where it was confirmed that I have juvenile idiopathic arthritis, more specifically spondyloarthritis and sacroiliitis (once again, big post here). My rheumatologist is awesome, though, and has now gotten me on a set of medications that are helping to manage the pain and slow down the progression.

During all of this, I’ve built up and expanded my advocacy on Twitter. Twitter is my space to get the word out easily to people about disability and LGBTQ issues and boost other disabled people who advocate or need help. I had about 100 followers back at the start of this year if I remember correctly. I now have almost 900. The amount of support I have gotten is ridiculous and I will never be able to express how grateful I am for each one of you.

Another positive is that I’ve recently launched my first book, Camden’s Secret on Amazon! I’d been working on CS since 2019 and had no intention of ever publishing it initially, but I decided back in Oct that I should so that I can build up a base for my books on Amazon and Goodreads. I’m so excited that it’s finally out, and you can find more info on it here.

I’m excited and relieved that 2020 is almost over. For 2021, instead of resolutions, I’ve developed a set of goals that I want to achieve before the year is over.

Complete writing on Sevan: A Gay, Disabled Romance and publish by June.Podcast on a more consistent basis.Write one blog post per day.Continue writing my poetry collection with at least one poem per day.Sell 50 copies of Camden’s Secret (buy one here, subtle plug).Hit 1k followers on Twitter and continue to expand my advocacy.Learn to drive.Get my arthritis to a manageable level.Take the ACT and make a 23 or higher.

Thanks for reading this far and I hope you’ll join me on my journey to meet those goals. Happy New Year!