This year’s Gala brought a new twist to the awarding of the Brianna Dillon Leadership Medal, given each year to an individual who has been a strong leader and visionary in NH.
The Leadership Medal was awarded to an amazing woman. Beth Dixon, who was the honoree, thought the award was going to someone else. She even prepared a speech to honor this other “recipient” and stood at the podium, ready to deliver it. To her complete surprise (and perhaps shock!), Mary Schuh took over the microphone and began a beautiful tribute to Beth and her 25 years at the Institute on Disability. It was Beth who created this award originally 5 years ago, and it is fitting that she has received it for being such a great leader within our Leadership Series, our Institute, the state, and beyond.
Congratulations to Beth, ever the leader! Thank you for all of your contributions to Leadership since 1990!
GALA TRIBUTE: Brianna Dillon Leadership Medal Goes to Beth Dixon
Beth Dixon has been a champion for social justice and civil rights for individuals with disabilities and their families for as long as we have known her. I met Beth in 1988 when she applied to participate in the very first class of the NH Leadership Series.
Along with Ann Dillon, Bonnie Dunham, Joe Baur, Janet Williamson, Janet Krumm, Marlyn Curtain, Ceil Connor, Barbara Fenderson, Martha Jean Madison, Bill and Sylvia Stanley, and so many other leaders who graduated from the inaugural Series, Beth went on to challenge the existing system and cultural expectations for people with disabilities and their families and has been working tirelessly to create a new landscape.
This new landscape represents a culture and community who believe in the competence of each and every person, a culture and community who seeks out and celebrates the gifts of everyone, holds high expectations, presumes competence, and supports individuals to not only create dreams for themselves, their families, and their communities but to make those dreams a reality in the most ordinary of ways.
In her application to the very first leadership series, in 1988, Beth wrote that she wanted to create a better life for her son. Beth’s influence has reached far beyond Andrew.
When Andrew was young and therapy was recommended, Beth enrolled him in the neighborhood preschool. When he was kindergarten age and referred to a self-contained classroom, Beth fought and negotiated to enroll him in the elementary school two blocks from her home. In middle school he participated in all regular classes and attended the Boys and Girls Club with his friends. And high school and graduation were the same. It wasn’t easy; but Beth made it seem easy – because it made sense, and it was the right thing to do.
Beth and her family supported Andrew to have a GREAT life that includes participation in college, home ownership, self-employment, friends, political involvement, and his ongoing right to communicate.
It wasn’t just about creating change for her own family. Beth has been coordinating the Series and assisting in the creation of better lives, supports, services, policies, and practices for individuals with disabilities and their families thought out NH.
Dan Habib credits Beth for paving the way for Samuel to be fully included at Beaver Meadow Elementary, Rundlett Middle School, and now Concord High School as a result of Andrew pioneering inclusive education in the Concord School District.
According to Brittney, regardless of what type of relationship people have with Beth, she is transparent and consistent. She is optimistic, resourceful, a wealth of knowledge, supportive, very photogenic – no matter what kind of picture you take of her, it’s always a good one!
Beth is a sought after presenter – driving to and from UNH every semester to guest lecture in someone’s education course to instill the values of a fully inclusive life into the hearts and minds of our future education professionals.
Charles Drum says, “Beth is a kind, caring, and committed person. I can imagine Beth serving tea to the most conservative legislator in a beautiful back yard garden setting and killing them with kindness. Figuratively or literally- as needed.”
And from Jeff Strully “Beth Dixon is a hero for many families. She lives her values each and every day. She pushes the "envelope" not only for her family and especially her son, Andrew, but for so many others. She has been at the forefront of so many developments in NH. But even more, Beth is always there to talk to; discuss; think things out; strategize or just to have someone listen.
There is an old adage that the reason there are so few white knights is because there are so many dragons out there winning the wars each and every day. However, there are still some white knights who have conquered dragons and remain active each and every day fighting for the "right" things. Beth Dixon is one of those people.
