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Advocacy Blog: New Ways to Advocate with CTD

Chris Masey
CTD

December 5, 2014

One of the most important aspects of CTD’s mission is to promote independence and choice for people with disabilities through advocacy. And one of the most important supports for CTD in this endeavor is YOU exercising your right to speak out as a self-advocate.

Self-advocates have strong voices, speaking up for themselves and communicating their own story to educate those around them about their interests, their needs, and desires. A self-advocate change minds and makes a difference by:

• standing up and fighting for programs that matter,
• putting a human face on a poorly implemented program by sharing with decision makers how it affects their life,
• providing clarity on vague or esoteric concepts for people who have never experienced what it’s like to live with a disability,
• illustrating unintended consequences of a particular rule or law before that proposal takes effect.

And, as my colleague Susie Angel says, “advocating for yourself automatically makes other people’s lives better.” So, every self-advocate paves the way for others, removes barriers, and destroys stereotypes.

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As a staff member at CTD, I have an incredible opportunity to represent more people than just my son, Matthew (who has a disability). I have the opportunity to represent you, to learn from you. Right now, I'm working on two projects* that I need your help with. The first is recruiting members for CTD’s Advocacy Corps, and the second is researching and collecting data on three of CTD’s priority advocacy issues.

A-Corps

We are recruiting people with developmental disabilities (and family members) who are interested in learning about advocacy, and who want to jump with both feet into the upcoming 84th Texas Legislative Session beginning in January 2015.

Our expectation is that the A-Corps will take a diverse group of individuals with disabilities and combine each person’s unique skills and perspectives to create a team of trained advocates who can educate lawmakers about important disability issues.

A-Corps will help emerging Texas advocates find their voices and give them the opportunity to be heard. Learn more and apply!

Input, Influence, and Impact: Texans with Disabilities Driving Advocacy

We have also developed three short surveys to collect research data on subjects that directly affect the disability community:

• Disability Employment
• Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)
• Community Attendant Wages

We want to take the nationally collected data of each of these issues and delve deeper into them. We need your negative and positive experiences with each issue. Your stories can bring dry statistics to life and give us powerful support in our advocacy efforts. Your answers to these surveys will turn national data into relevant “Texspecific” numbers that our state legislators can better understand.

Surveys are now online!

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Results

Combining the skill and dedication of CTD’s advocacy staff with your passion and lived-experience will make the difference this legislative session. CTD asks for your direction, input, and your stories to provide a strong foundation and guidance on what may be one of the most significant legislative sessions in regards to Texans with disabilities.

Be a self-advocate. Participate. And help us ensure that when we speak at the Capitol, we are echoing your voice on issues that matter to you.

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About Chris

Chris returns to CTD after a ten-year hiatus to focus on public policy for people with developmental disabilities. He joins the advocacy team to focus on issues that affect people with developmental disabilities, including employment, early childhood intervention, and personal attendant wages. Chris also brings the perspective and experiences of a parent of a child with a disability. Read Chris' full bio

 

 

Disclaimer: The views contained herein do not necessarily reflect the position of the fund agency(s).

*Financial Support for the CTD Developmental Disabilities Policy Fellowship is provided by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, with Federal funds+ made available by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities. +$67,500 (71%) DD funds; $27,011 (29%) non-federal resources.