Advocacy
Shelly Simmons and Ryan Mercer, Georgia Voices that Count graduates and disability rights advocates, talk about giving testimony at the Georgia State Capitol on February 25, 2010 - for more information about the Independent Care Waiver Program contact disABILITY LINK
disABILITY LINK supports personal and system wide advocacy. We believe that to make any positive change for people with disabilities it takes many of us working together, and that everyone with a disability has skills and talents that can be used by the disability community for effective advocacy. Everyone is encouraged to participate in these grass roots organizations (occasionally there are changes in meeting dates so please call ahead to confirm meeting arrangements):
People First of Atlanta (supporting self advocacy in the Metro Atlanta area) – meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month from 10.00am until about 12 noon at the disABILITY LINK office. Guests are welcome, but only members have the right to vote (to be a member of People First you must be a person with a disability and attend three meetings in order to be voted in). There are People First chapters all over the state, country and world. See http://ga.disabilityselfadvocates.org/ or http://www.sabeusa.org/ for more information.
The Long Road Home – is a campaign to celebrate The Olmstead Decision and call for its full implementation. - each year there are local and statewide events - please consider organizing a local event in the week leading up to the anniversary on June 22 - for more information contact Cheri Mitchell atcherimitchellg@gmail.com
Atlanta ADAPT (a national grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom) – meetings are held on the fourth Friday of each month from 1.00 to about 3.00pm at the disABILITY LINK office. Anyone with a passion for disability rights is welcome to attend. See www.ADAPT.org for more information.
National ADAPT will be in Atlanta from October 10 to 15, 2009 – please mark your calendars and watch this space for more information
CTREA (Concerned Transit Riders for Equal Access) working to "inform, educate and advocate for efficient, effective and accessible transit" – meetings are held on the second Saturday of the month from 10.00am to about 12 noon at The Shepherd Center (2020 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta GA 30309 http://www.shepherd.org/ in Room#2, on the 2nd floor). Contact ctrea@yahoo.com for more information.
“Visitibility” (Concrete Change – every new home visitable) advocating for legislation to ensure that every new home has basic accessible features (for example, zero step entrances, wider doors). Meetings are usually held at The Statewide Independent Living Council offices (755 Commerce Drive #415, Decatur GA 30030 http://www.silcga.org/). See http://www.concretechange.org/ or call Eleanor Smith at 404-378-7455 for more information.
Jobs with Justice - engages workers and allies in campaigns to win justice in workplaces and in communities where working families live; the Transit Riders Union was created to deal with the particular issues facing transit riders - acampaign for: labor and community control of transit, state funding, and no to state takeover and privatization. See http://www.atljwj.org/index.html for more information.
How to find your elected officials:
1. You need your 9 digit zip code – you can find this on your junk mail or you can look it up by entering your address at the web site of the post office -http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp.
2. There are a number of web sites that help you know and connect with your (Federal and Georgia) elected officials – try http://www.votesmart.org/ - enter your 9 digit zip code, press enter and you will see the list of your elected officials – click on their names and you will be shown biographic information and a list of their position on various issues, etc. – under their photo on the right hand side there are a number of other links for further information, including their full contact information.
3. For people who do not have access to the Internet or prefer not to use the Internet, you can call The Secretary of State’s office of elections – 404-656-2871 – they can give you the phone number for your county’s office of voter registration, call your county office and ask for the names and contact information of your elected officials
4. Contact your elected officials by letter, FAX, email or phone – let them know you are their constituent (you live in the district they represent) – tell them what you want them to know – “people with disabilities want to live in the community and have control over their own lives” or whatever is the current issue.
5. Enjoy the feeling of being an active citizen and participating in a democracy – share the experience and information with others!
These are just a few examples of ways to get involved and make a difference. Please contact Linda Pogue, Director of Advocacy Support, with your ideas about and commitment to disability rights advocacy – GreenPogue@aol.com or 404-687-8890 x114