Communities Of Power:
Community
Building Tools
Our Voices
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Americans with Disabilities Act|
Voting |
Full Inclusion: The New Reality Show
One of the most enduring (NOT endearing) stereotypes about our community is the importance of "special" everything when it comes to people with disabilities. While the original purpose for the term "special" was to distinguish us from "pitiful," it never worked. "Special" meant isolated, less than normal, separated for their own good, in their best interest, etc. It also meant people who think they don't have a disability could avoid us because we could live our whole lives in a haven that became a disability ghetto.
The opposite of "special" is "fully included." Full inclusion is a core value and goal of the disability community, and this issue of "Our Voices" will take you on a tour of Full Inclusion Land (FIL), a place of real opportunity for all citizens, even "special" ones.
Table of Contents:
- Blips on the Radar Screen.
- Action Days Summary.
- Meaningful Involvement.
- Tele-conferencing Tips.
- Join MDRC.
Blips on the Radar Screen: FIL is coming!
- When a People First Group in Howell sponsored a voter education project, one of the presenters was a poll worker with a disability.
- When the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) is fully implemented, people who are blind will be able to go to the polling place and vote without assistance, like all other citizens.
- When a developer in Kalamazoo put up a new 56-unit complex, all of them were visitable, meaning a no-step entry, at least a half bath on the entry level, and doors and hallways wide enough for someone who uses a wheelchair to get in and use the bathroom.
- When Michigan sent a four-member delegation to Washington DC to attend a conference sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, one member of the delegation was a disability rights advocate.
- Several people with disabilities serve in the Michigan State Legislature.
- Many organizations in the Grand Rapids and the Holland / Zeeland area have installed loop systems, a preferred assistive listening system that broadcasts sound directly to hearing aids. For more information, go to: http://www.hearingloop.org//index.htm.
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Action Days Update.
Working through five regional partners - two of them new and two experiencing significant changes in leadership - the Communities of Power Action Cycle grant sponsored extensive voter education and voter registration activities at three large regional conferences and six local areas. With support from MDRC, all completed their planned activities. New staff brought in new ideas that increased access to polling places and election information in creative ways, for example, working with non-traditional partners. Regional partners have increased the number of local partners and also local sources of funding, so they can continue these activities in years to come.
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Meaningful Involvement in Policymaking.
Tell Our Stories
The lived consumer
experience must be represented in decision making. Our stories and presence at
the public policy table will bring the reality of our lives out of the
"professional" and into the personal. But to be effective we must be prepared
to move beyond our personal stories.
Coordinate Our Message
We can improve the
impact of our stories by talking with each other about common experiences and
the impact of public policy on all our lives. We can make our point stronger by
pointing out how policies impact not just our personal lives, but all of us.
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Tips for Better Teleconferencing.
Sometimes, it's just not possible to have face to face meetings. If done correctly, teleconferencing can make meetings more inclusive.
Link to full article for a list of tips.
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