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VIRGINIA VIRGINIA VOICES FOR VOICES FOR

CHANGECHANGE

August, 2006August, 2006Brought to you by the

New Voices Committee

Sponsored by the Partnership For People With Disabilities

Virginia Commonwealth University(804)828-0352

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RositRosit

aa

ChrisChristinatina

BillBill

JessiJessicaca

Jill

Eric

MichaMichaelel

David

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Our purpose is Our purpose is to…to…

Explain who we areExplain who we are

Tell you the truth about our livesTell you the truth about our lives

Tell you about our hopes for our Tell you about our hopes for our future… and what stands in the future… and what stands in the wayway

Explain what Explain what YOUYOU can do to help can do to help

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We Are…We Are… A team of advocates working A team of advocates working

to change the system so that to change the system so that we can live the life we want in we can live the life we want in the community.the community.

We are from all over the We are from all over the Commonwealth.Commonwealth.

Our numbers are growing. We Our numbers are growing. We vote. We live in the vote. We live in the community. There are community. There are thousands of us. We want to thousands of us. We want to be heard.be heard.

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What is a What is a Disability?Disability?

We are just like you exceptWe are just like you exceptthat we have special needs. that we have special needs. Maybe our bodies don’tMaybe our bodies don’twork well. Or maybe we work well. Or maybe we have trouble learning or adjusting to social have trouble learning or adjusting to social situations. situations.

Some of us have an obvious disability. Some of us have an obvious disability. Others have a disability that is hard to see.Others have a disability that is hard to see.

As hard as we try, we need assistance from As hard as we try, we need assistance from others.others.

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Some of us have a good life andSome of us have a good life and we are happy for that. we are happy for that.

Some of us receive great supportSome of us receive great support from family, friends and staff from family, friends and staff

Here’s The Truth About our Here’s The Truth About our Lives…Lives…

Many of us are not living theMany of us are not living thelife we want.life we want.

Many of us don’t get the help Many of us don’t get the help we need.we need.

But

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Here’s The Truth About our Here’s The Truth About our Lives…Lives…

Get out on their own to have fun. Get out on their own to have fun. Stay busy with a lot to do..Stay busy with a lot to do.. Can get home anytime they want … They have Can get home anytime they want … They have

freedom… freedom… Sing in the choir… the same choir as others in Sing in the choir… the same choir as others in

their church.their church. Can be with a special someone that they love. Can be with a special someone that they love. Are included in their communities with people Are included in their communities with people

with and without disabilities.with and without disabilities.

Some of us have a good life.

Some say that they…

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Since my parents are gone my oldest sister has Since my parents are gone my oldest sister has been there for me.been there for me.

My mom and dad – after high school they’re My mom and dad – after high school they’re always pointing me in the right direction.always pointing me in the right direction.

My husband and my family helped me recuperate My husband and my family helped me recuperate from my accident for the past 20 years.from my accident for the past 20 years.

My family and personal assistant… If it weren’t My family and personal assistant… If it weren’t for them, I’d be in a nursing home. for them, I’d be in a nursing home.

My boyfriend helps as much as he can… My boyfriend helps as much as he can… Our faith is a great inspiration to us. Our faith is a great inspiration to us. Our will to survive keeps us going and gives us all Our will to survive keeps us going and gives us all

inspiration.inspiration.

The Truth About our The Truth About our Lives…Lives…We receive some GREAT support…

People told us that…

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I am lonely and by myself. I cry all my tears.I am lonely and by myself. I cry all my tears. I don’t like not being able to go where I want.I don’t like not being able to go where I want. I want to move out but there is no money or I want to move out but there is no money or

openings. openings. Transportation is always an issue… There is never Transportation is always an issue… There is never

enough of it… They are always late… enough of it… They are always late… I don’t feel like I get enough support. I don’t feel like I get enough support. I don’t like not having enough money.I don’t like not having enough money. I would like a different job, one where I can do what I would like a different job, one where I can do what

I want to do… I want to do… People don’t notice us… They pass over us… They People don’t notice us… They pass over us… They

don’t ask us… They ask other people what we like... don’t ask us… They ask other people what we like...

The Truth About our The Truth About our Lives…Lives…Many of us do NOT live the life we want…People say things like…

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Silly Rules… Rules… Silly Rules… Rules… Rules… Rules…

We have to go to bed at 9 pm. We can only watch TV at certain

times of the day. We can’t date without a staff

person going with us. We can’t decide what to eat

for dinner. We can’t wear make-up. We can’t choose what time to

take a shower. We have to go on the same “outing” as everyone else. We can’t have overnight guests.

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Before We Go on…Let’s Be HonestAbout Things…

The system depends too much on old ways of The system depends too much on old ways of doing things.doing things.

The system seems to The system seems to WANTWANT to keep us to keep us dependent… to keep us down… It exaggerates dependent… to keep us down… It exaggerates our disabilities and makes them more than they our disabilities and makes them more than they are.are.

We do not want that. We want a system that We do not want that. We want a system that celebrates our abilities and helps us live a good celebrates our abilities and helps us live a good life in the community.life in the community.

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Here’s WhatHere’s WhatWe Wish ForWe Wish For

We wish to live a life like anyone else… We wish to live a life like anyone else… We like to have our dreams and go after them like being a We like to have our dreams and go after them like being a

celebrity, traveling, being a singer or actor, making a lot of celebrity, traveling, being a singer or actor, making a lot of money, or owning our own business.money, or owning our own business.

Have the freedom to be independent and do what we want.Have the freedom to be independent and do what we want. Have our own place that is accessible and better housing Have our own place that is accessible and better housing

options.options. Getting married without having the fear of losing our Getting married without having the fear of losing our

benefits.benefits. Getting a job and not worry about losing our benefits.Getting a job and not worry about losing our benefits. Being able to get around town to visit friends and do things.Being able to get around town to visit friends and do things. Having quality personal attendants and other staff and being Having quality personal attendants and other staff and being

able to pay them well.able to pay them well.

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But We Face Barriers…But We Face Barriers…

We need help to We need help to live the life we live the life we want, and…want, and…

We should be We should be able to decide able to decide on the kind of on the kind of help that we get.help that we get.

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We’ve Been Learning About We’ve Been Learning About Self-Advocacy. Self-Advocacy.

Self-Advocates:Self-Advocates:

Speak up for Speak up for themselvesthemselves

Tell others what they Tell others what they like and don’t likelike and don’t like

Explain what they Explain what they wantwant

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So…Here’s what we’d like So…Here’s what we’d like YOUYOU to to dodo

Make sure that services Make sure that services in Virginia…in Virginia…

are easier to get into, are easier to get into,

assure that people get assure that people get what they need, and what they need, and

assure that staff are well assure that staff are well paid.paid.soso we can live the life we we can live the life we

want in the community.want in the community.

Things have to get much better than they are.Things have to get much better than they are.

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This Means…This Means…

It needs to It needs to STOPSTOP …. …. 1. Putting too many restrictions on us.1. Putting too many restrictions on us.

2. Limiting options in housing, jobs and relationships.2. Limiting options in housing, jobs and relationships.

3. Underpaying staff and not giving them healthcare.3. Underpaying staff and not giving them healthcare.

4. Looking past us as if we don’t exist.4. Looking past us as if we don’t exist.

It needs to It needs to STARTSTART …. ….1. Looking at us as people first.1. Looking at us as people first.

2. Giving us a chance to prove ourselves and get 2. Giving us a chance to prove ourselves and get experience.experience.

3. Looking at our abilities and contributions.3. Looking at our abilities and contributions.

4. Giving us the assistance we need to succeed in life.4. Giving us the assistance we need to succeed in life.

5. 5. LISTENING TO WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY.LISTENING TO WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY.

LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD!LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD!

That the service system will have to change

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Hear Our Hear Our Voices!!Voices!!

Give us the Give us the

freedom, choice freedom, choice and a chance to and a chance to

control control our own lives.our own lives.

Listen Up!

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Here’s What Here’s What YouYou CanCanDo To Help Us…Do To Help Us…

ListenListen to us and respect our ideas. to us and respect our ideas.

Help usHelp us to build a self advocacy to build a self advocacy network across the Commonwealth. network across the Commonwealth.

With a strong network we With a strong network we can…can… Help people to speak up for themselves toHelp people to speak up for themselves to

improve their lives and change the system,improve their lives and change the system,

Stand up for one another so that we can all Stand up for one another so that we can all live the life we want in the community.live the life we want in the community.

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If not If not YOU, YOU, then then who?who?

2020

Self-Self-Advocates all Advocates all

over the over the CommonwealCommonweal

th are th are counting oncounting on

YOU!YOU!

Thank you!