Category: Little People of America

of unemployment, I was finally in the running for two jobs. I couldn’t imagine taking on the LPA presidency at the same time as starting a new job.

I could see the need for an elected officer who would temper passion with patience, value staff and volunteers, work cooperatively as a team member, and promote a fair and equitable process. After much prayer and discussion with Robert, my dilemma about running for president was resolved when Jacob stepped forward as a presidential candidate. But I did put the book on hold and decided to run for VP of membership. Although I had never been on the LPA Executive Committee, I had board experience as parliamentarian, a District 4 proxy, and an administrative assistant during Robert’s two terms as president in the 1980s.

Jacob and I recruited Rachel as a senior vice-presidential candidate who shared our campaign values of respect, integrity, accountability, and inclusiveness. Our motto was, “Vote for people who value people.” We held campaign meetings in online chat sessions. Supporters distributed our flyers at spring regional meetings and we built a campaign website called lpa4people.org. The campaign took off as we posted our platforms, biographies, endorsements, and commentaries. We prepared for a contested election and were surprised when the likely contender announced he would not be running for office.

I received good advice from a former LPA President, Gerald Rasa. He recommended defining, prioritizing, and resolving issues; including people in the process and praising them for their work; and conducting myself with humility. Gerald’s advice hit the mark as I entered a turbulent time in LPA leadership. There were so many issues to resolve! In my two years on the Executive Committee, four different people served in the office of President! I dubbed this as the Presidential relay. I ran the last leg after the board voted me in as President on November 13, 2005.

As President until July 2006, I determined to finish the work the original Executive Committee began in 2004. In pursuit of Solomon’s wisdom, I added his words as part of my email signature paragraph. For example, in February 2006, my 220 outgoing emails closed with this quote:

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
∞ Proverbs 16:24, New American Standard Bible

            LPA primarily runs on volunteer hours. It’s important to support and encourage those willing to serve.

This post is a condensed version of excerpts in Chapter 4, Galvanize the Group and Heal the Breaches and Chapter 7, President Angela: Last Leg of Relay in book three of my memoir trilogy: “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities,” https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/

As an alien, female, dwarf immigrant to the U.S., I was scorned when I expressed an unpopular opinion at an LPA Board of Director’s meeting. One Director blasted me for delaying the board’s progress, another accused me of stifling discussion and energy and attributed this to my being from New Zealand. I put the record straight with a heritage and values email:

In 1893, New Zealand was the first self-governing country in the world to grant the vote to all adult women. I therefore come from a rich heritage of debate and democracy. There are three books sitting next to my computer monitor: a Bible, a dictionary, and a copy of the U.S. Constitution. Please never mistake a plea for civility as a call to stifle discussion or energy. However, I strongly believe that the First Amendment freedom of speech comes with responsibility and is not a license to disrespect or discredit people.

When I first emigrated to the U.S. as a permanent resident alien in 1981, LPA had two classes of disenfranchised people—noncitizen aliens without student or employee status and average-size parents of children with dwarfism. For several months, I fit into the first nonvoting class as one who was neither employed nor a student. Consequently, I was ineligible for membership and unable to vote. Thankfully this inequity was corrected in 1982 when the membership approved a proposed bylaw amendment to allow permanent resident aliens to become LPA members with the right to vote regardless of their employment or student status.

As a Past President of Little People of New Zealand (NZ), I was surprised to learn that average-size parents of children with dwarfism were nonvoting members of LPA. In NZ height was not a criteria for membership. In some LPA chapters, parents’ opinions were not sought or welcome. Parents were frequently relegated to the back of the room. In many chapters, parents were limited to servant roles of providing transportation to a meeting, setting up, and cleaning up after a meal.

This all changed in Robert Van Etten’s second term as LPA President (1984-1986). Robert successfully promoted a bylaw amendment giving the vote to one average-sized parent living in the household of a child with dwarfism.

So what voting rights do you appreciate?

Photo credit: Venita Oberholster from Pixabay

The examples given in this post are drawn from Chapter 2, “President Robert: The Second Term” and Chapter 7, “President Angela: Last Leg of Relay” in ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities by Angela Muir Van Etten. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/.

• I would have stayed in fewer hotels.
• I would have missed the free advice from medical experts in dwarfism.
• I would not have received an LPA education scholarship.
• I would not have posed for so many group photos.
• The opportunity to encourage parents to raise their child with dwarfism with the same expectations and boundaries as their other children would have been lost.
• I would not have learned the lessons that come from being in the majority.
• River rafting in the afternoon and modeling my wedding dress in the evening would never have happened.
• I would not have met so many celebrities or little people from all over the world.
• Local little people communities would not have welcomed me when I moved from New Zealand to Virginia to Maryland to Ohio to New York to Florida.
• I would get fewer emails.
• I would not have enjoyed so much hospitality from LPA members opening their homes for meetings.
• I would not have been a guest in so many modified LP kitchens and seen how to make my home more accessible.
• I would not have needed a Media Resume.
• I would have missed learning how the media censors the facts in order to promote a point of view.
• Conservative Rush Limbaugh and Liberal Howard Stern would not have criticized me in a radio broadcast on the same day for suggesting that little people have a “cause.”
• I would not have had to explain to so many people why the word “midget” is derogatory.
• I would never have read so many great books written by people with dwarfism.
• I would never have used a scooter to extend my endurance and long term joint maintenance.
• I would not have been on the advocacy teams that defeated dwarf tossing in Chicago, Florida, and New York.
• ATMs and credit card readers on gas pumps at my local gas station would still be out of reach.
• My T-shirt wardrobe would be deficient.
• I would have missed meeting other Little People with my diagnosis.
• I would have got a lot more sleep.
• I would have fewer friends.
• I would not have laughed and cried so much.
• My photo albums would not feature little people.
• Free time would be a reality not a concept.
• I would have missed being in the dwarfism melting pot of diagnoses, gender, ethnicity, nationality, economic and faith backgrounds.

[In recognition of National Nonprofit Day on August 17, 2023, this post updates “How My Life Would Be Different Without LPA,” Angela Muir Van Etten blog post (September 28, 2020).]

A reading list for digging deeper:

• Angela Muir Van Etten. “Always an Advocate: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities.” 2021. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/
• Angela Muir Van Etten. “PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith.” 2020. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/pass-me-your-shoes/
• “Successful Spokane Trip.” Angela Muir Van Etten blog. July 11, 2022. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/successful-spokane-trip/
• “LPA Conference Destinations.” Angela Muir Van Etten blog. July 4, 2022. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/lpa-conference-destinations/
• “President Angela: Last Leg of Relay.” Angela Muir Van Etten blog. November 15, 2021. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/president-angela-last-leg-of-relay/
• Colleen Gioffreda, guest post. “Little People of America and Adoption.” Angela Muir Van Etten blog. November 22, 2021. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/little-people-of-america-and-adoption/

• “LPA Milestones.” Angela Muir Van Etten blog. October 25, 2021. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/lpa-milestones/

However, due to a series of disturbing events, I was persuaded to serve as Vice President of Membership on LPA’s national board. Past president Gerald Rasa expressed his confidence that I could “galvanize the group, heal breaches . . ., and keep the membership on balance.”

To say it was a turbulent time in LPA history is putting it politely and evidenced by the need for four faces to get the gavel across the finish line. After being elected as President, I received congratulatory emails in which people expressed comfort and confidence in my ability to lead LPA. What they didn’t know was that my strength and courage came from God. In pursuit of Solomon’s wisdom, I added his words as part of my email signature paragraph. For example, in February 2006, my 220 outgoing emails closed with this quote:

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
∞ Proverbs 16:24, NASB

As president, I determined to finish the work the original Executive Committee began in 2004. In addition to chairing LPA Board meetings, my time as president was primarily spent as it should be:

• encouraging LPA leaders and members
• supervising staff
• coordinating with the development director
• coordinating with the Medical Advisory Board on research studies
• ensuring completion of the annual report
• writing proposed bylaws

Among the things I did to help plan the 2006 national conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I sent written invitations to international delegates in support of their visa applications, hosted an appreciation reception for national leaders, and presented the 2006 awards for Media and the Kitchens Meritorious Service at the closing banquet.

In a private ceremony, I presented an unofficial gavel to the other members of the 2004-2006 Presidential Relay Team engraved with all four names. We had held to our expressed campaign values of respect, integrity, accountability, and inclusiveness.

About 2,000 volunteer hours after deciding to run for national office in April 2004, I was delighted and relieved to pass the official LPA gavel to the newly elected President for the 2006-2008 term.

This post is excerpted from Part I, Volunteer Leadership Challenges, in “Always an Advocate.” Find out why so many reviewers recommend the book at https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/.

From the outset, LPA welcomed internationals, but only as honorary members. Yet Billy Barty was a willing consultant to LP organizations forming in 1968 and 1969 in Australia and New Zealand, for example. However, it took 25 years before LPA hosted in Washington, DC the first international conference for little people. The April 1982 conference goal to improve the quality of life for little people globally was advanced when 80 delegates representing eight countries attended.

In July 1982, as the alien resident spouse of LPA President Robert Van Etten, I did not meet the criteria for a foreign-affiliate membership. As a result, a bylaw amendment to allow permanent resident aliens to become LPA members was proposed and approved.

The achievement of two more LPA milestones.

The essence of LPA was evident from inception. For example, at the 1957 convention a Telephone Booth Committee was formed to lobby Bell Telephone Company for booths reachable by people of 48 inches. In 1960, LPA planned to publicize equal employment opportunity for little people and committees were formed to provide education scholarships and adoption support.

Although LPA was originally incorporated as a nonprofit organization exempt from paying taxes, donors could not take a tax deduction for contributions. As the eighth person to serve as LPA President, Robert Van Etten believed LPA’s future growth depended on becoming a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. He was sure LPA’s educational, medical, and charitable activities qualified the organization for this status. And he was right. In 1984, together with the LPA Tax Exemption Committee he had appointed, Robert led LPA to another milestone event. LPA members at the St. Louis conference voted yes to amend the LPA charter and bylaws to align with IRS tax-exempt legal standards. And on October 28, 1986, the IRS granted interim approval for LPA’s section 501(c)(3) tax-exemption followed by final approval on December 31, 1989.

The first annual LPA conference held outside the United States was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in July 1985. This milestone week was memorable—the airlines lost our bags for two days, we got dripping wet from hot temperatures during the day and daily downpours at dinner time, and Robert and I took turns getting Montezuma’s revenge. Yet despite some discomfort, the conference was a huge success and the catalyst for the formation of an LP organization in Mexico. The highlight of Robert’s week was parasailing off the beach. The highlight of my week was watching him land on the beach. This post is informed by the 25^th anniversary LPA Souvenir Book published by the Billy Barty Foundation in July 1982 and by excerpts from Always an Advocate, Part I, Volunteer Leadership Challenges, chapters 1 and 2. For the rest of the story, buy your e-book or paperback copy at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737333600/