What It Means to Be A Self-Advocate
Image Created by Author for The Arc of Bartholomew County.
Self-advocates combined with organizations like The Arc can and have made lasting positive changes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This includes things like:
The establishment of critical government programs like Medicaid & the Medicaid Waiver.
Ensuring people with disabilities were considered a protected class under the Fair Housing Act.
Ensuring people with disabilities have equal access to things like education.
Now all that is well and good, but why is SELF-advocacy important?
Well, who better to talk about the problems facing people with disabilities than those same individuals? Self-advocacy is about the empowerment of people with disabilities to advocate and be included in the discussions around the issues that affect them.
Just like the founding fathers said, "No taxation without representation," we say, "Nothing about us without us."
It really is that simple, but we don't stop there.
Oh no, we keep going.
What Else Do Self-Advocates Do?
In addition to advocating for and addressing the problems that people with disabilities face, we also advocate for other vulnerable populations. While pertinent issues vary from self-advocate to self-advocate, we might take on other important social issues like:
Climate Change
Civil Rights
Education
Here is the great thing about self-advocacy efforts: They aren't just training people to better represent themselves in problems and challenges they face; they are training an entire population to advocate and fight for important issues that we ALL face.
Beyond Advocacy
These skills don't just stop at advocacy and activism, either--not that those are any small matter.
Self-advocacy teaches skills like:
Professionalism
Communication
Leadership
& More.
Where else can skills like these come in handy?
That's right, the job market!
Self-advocacy efforts work to have the best outcomes for people with disabilities. While that doesn't always translate to employment, it most certainly can. These efforts aim to develop people as much as they are able, from basic adult living skills (ADLs) all the way to becoming leading industry professionals.
Self-advocates can be some of the most dedicated and effective employees that a business can have. We bring the same intense and dedicated energy we have for fighting for positive change to our work.
Reaching Critical Mass
So self-advocacy teaches people with disabilities to:
Advocate for themselves and others.
Communicate and work with other people.
Be involved in their community and work towards something larger than themselves.
What does that sound like? What are self-advocacy efforts really creating beyond all of the many (important) layers of advocacy, rights, and representation?
They are creating responsible citizens.
Wrap Up
So, by now, you know what self-advocacy/ advocates is/are, why self-advocacy efforts are important, and how these efforts lead to a better society for us all.
Now that you know these things, you understand why self-advocacy efforts are so critical for our society. Please consider supporting organizations like The Arc that support people with disabilities and help us to become the best we can be. Or, if you are a person with a disability, get involved in a local self-advocacy group and work to become the best you can be.
With your help, we can make lives for not just people with disabilities, but everyone, that much better.
As always, pace towards perfection.
