Latest news with #EricCarpenter-Grantham
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Real ID? Organ donor? Here's the next symbol one mom and son want Pennsylvania driver's licenses to add
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Most people would never think of asking someone in a wheelchair to get up and run. But that's what advocates for people with 'invisible disabilities' say we all essentially do — even if unknowingly — when we ask some people with autism, for example, to have socially-appropriate interactions at moments when they're under a lot of stress. 'I will probably will be scared,' said Eric Carpenter-Grantham, 20, who lives in Montgomery County, Maryland. 'Because if they flash the lights on me, I don't like flashing lights on. So the sensory of it — people with autism and disabilities have sensory issues, so they do not like to be touched. And they probably would think I'm crazy. They would probably think I'm high.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now What Carpenter-Grantham is, in fact, is a person who describes himself as having high-functioning autism. He is also Black, and his mother, Linda Carpenter-Grantham, remembers talking to him after George Floyd's death — in 2020, at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers (who were later convicted, including of second-degree murder in the case of one officer). Mom told son how to do things — such as putting his hands in the air — to show police he's not a threat, in the event he's ever involved in an encounter. 'Eric started to cry and said, 'Mom, I could do that. But the police would shoot my friends that have autism,'' Linda Carpenter-Grantham recalled her son saying. 'So we started this mission.' Pennsylvania lawmakers propose changes to unemployment benefits, worker taxes 'This mission' included meeting with Maryland lawmakers, who took up the cause of legislation to add a voluntary marking on driver's licenses for people who want police officers and others to know they have invisible disabilities, which — in addition to autism — can be things such as hearing loss, dementia or bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. The law passed unanimously and is due to be signed Tuesday by Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D). But in advance of that, the Carpenter-Granthams were in Harrisburg Monday with Delegate Kym Taylor (D-Prince George's County), who worked with other lawmakers to pass the bill. 'Now we're taking it state to state,' said Taylor, who worked with other lawmakers — including the leader of Maryland's Legislative Black Caucus — to advance the legislation. The bill was uncontroversial: 'Eric's ID Law,' as it's known, passed unanimously. But advocates say people who have invisible disabilities and are also non-white are at particular risk of being misunderstood and harmed by police. The Carpenter-Granthams and Taylor met Monday with Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia & Delaware counties), who subsequently recognized all three on the House floor once the session re-started. By Eric Carpenter-Grantham's count, Maryland became the 23rd state to allow some kind of voluntary mark on its driver's licenses indicating an invisible disability. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘I feel like it's going to change the world': Maryland IDs could soon feature butterflies for those with hidden disabilities
SILVER SPRING, Md. () — Maryland licenses and IDs may soon feature butterflies for those with hidden disabilities. This comes after a Silver Spring man with autism and his mother successfully pushed the General Assembly to pass 'Eric's ID Law.' The law will allow people to voluntarily opt in to feature a butterfly symbol on their identification in order to communicate that they have a hidden disability. Stretch Your Dollar: Avocado prices fluctuate in this week's Grocery Price Check 'The butterfly represents hope, peace, freedom and change,' said Eric Carpenter-Grantham, a man with autism who helped create the bill. 'Inside the wings is the colors that represent all hidden disabilities.' The butterfly is a symbol that Carpenter-Grantham hopes will help those with autism, mental health issues and developmental disabilities. 'Some people do not know that people with autism don't like looking at you,' he explained. [People have] sensory issues — they do not like to be touched — and they don't like loud noises.' Carpenter-Grantham said these things can be misinterpreted by others — especially in high-stress situations, like interactions with law enforcement. 'When Mr. George Floyd was killed in 2020, I realize then … I have an African American son whom I am very afraid for being stopped by law enforcement,' said Linda Carpenter-Grantham, Eric's mother. She instructed her son about what to do and not to do when interacting with police. 'I told him, put your hands up, don't reach for your phone — that could become very dangerous. Yell out 'I have Autism,'' she said. She said that her son started to cry and said he was worried about his friends who have autism being shot by police. That's when Eric Carpenter-Grantham came up with an idea to help others like him. Linda Carpenter-Grantham recalled her son saying they should put something on IDs and driver's licenses so that police know who might have autism. 'I said, 'That's a great idea,'' she said. 'I won't stop trying': Senator travels to El Salvador to secure return of wrongly deported man For two years, they fought for Eric's ID Law. It finally passed the Maryland General Assembly last month. 'I feel like it's going to change the world,' said Eric. 'I feel like it's going to help law enforcement, help first responders. It's going to help a lot of people.' Montgomery County Police said it welcomes all opportunities that may help officers better interact with members of the community. Meanwhile, the bill is awaiting Gov. Wes Moore's signature and the mother-son duo are working to pass Eric's ID Law across the country. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Hidden' disabilities step into the spotlight as driver's license bill moves closer to becoming law
Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D-Montgomery), left, receives flowers Thursday from Eric Carpenter-Grantham after the House unanimously approved legislation named after him. They are joined by Carpenter-Grantham's mother, Linda. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) It started with a conversation between a mother and her son about interacting with police in the wake of the May 202o death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. It ended Thursday with cheers and applause as first one chamber of the General Assembly, then the other, gave unanimous approval to 'Eric's ID Law.' It would require that the Motor Vehicle Administration place a butterfly logo above the words 'hidden disability' on driver's licenses, identification cards, even moped licenses, for people with a 'nonapparent disability.' People like Eric Carpenter-Grantham, who sat in the House gallery with his mother, Linda, anxiously waiting for approval of the bill. Not only did House Bill 707 receive unanimous approval, in a rare occurrence, a rousing applause and a few cheers cascaded across the House floor. When Del. Malcolm Ruff (D-Baltimore City) stood up to request a vote change on another bill, he yelled, 'Congratulations, Eric!' On the same day across the hall, a Senate version sponsored by Sen. William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery) passed unanimously. The bills now must be approved by the other chamber before they can be sent to the governor for his signature. A spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore (D) would only say that the office reviews all bills sent to the governor and 'will announce the bills he plans to sign a few days ahead of each scheduled signing ceremony.' A person with a 'nonapparent disability,' according to the bill, would include anyone with developmental and intellectual disabilities that are not immediately noticeable. Eric Carpenter-Grantham, 20, who has autism, said in an interview after the House adjourned the butterfly represents 'hope, peace, freedom and change.' He said the butterfly's colors represent all hidden disabilities. The bill would require the MVA to establish public outreach efforts about the availability of the disability emblem. The legislation also requires that the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission work with the State Police and 'other interested stakeholders' to implement law enforcement training on interacting with those who have an invisible disability notification on a driver's license, ID card, or 'moped operator's permit.' A fiscal note shows it could cost about $75,000 for one-time vendor cost to redesign the cards. Linda Carpenter-Grantham said in an interview Thursday the work started with that conversation with Eric after the George Floyd. 'Me being concerned as a mom, should he be stopped by law enforcement. How that could turn out and they not know he has autism, which is an invisible disability,' she said. 'The possibilities of him being hurt, harmed or killed was scary for me.' They began grassroots efforts to push for legislation. Legislation was introduced last year, but didn't make it out of a Senate committee and missed a House deadline. Shortly after the session ended in April 2024, the Carpenter-Grantham family reached a nationwide audience to talk about Eric's ID Law with an appearance on Fox's 'Sherri Shephard Show.' A few months later, in July, the family appeared on ABC's 'The View.' The family lives in legislative District 20 in Montgomery County, the area represented by Smith and Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D), who serves as lead sponsor of the House version along with Del. Kym Taylor (D-Prince George's), who was in the audience of 'The View' for the family's appearance. Linda and Eric Carpenter-Grantham greeted Wilkins after Thursday's House vote and presented her with flowers. 'Thank you for all that you've done. You are amazing,' Linda Carpenter-Grantham told Wilkins. 'Y'all did this,' Wilkins said. 'That unanimous vote was the result of all the work you [accomplished].' Eric Carpenter-Grantham currently attends Montgomery College with a passion for politics and ministry. He plans to attend the University of Maryland, College Park, to work toward a bachelor's degree in physical science and possibly ministry to become a pastor. He said his family would be proud, especially his father, Lamont 'Skeet' Grantham. Carpenter-Grantham said that having a bill named for him 'is just an honor, and it's not only history for me and my mom, but for our family, and to my father, who passed away one month ago from today,' Eric Carpenter-Grantham said Thursday. 'I know he is so, so proud.'
