Strengthening Ourselves, Each Other, and the SAFA Network Community Read around. SAFA Network Meeting Ft. Lauderdale, FL March 10 – 11, 2012 Krescene Beck and Shirley Paceley, Blue Tower Training

What I’ve learned so far… What I still want to know…

Declarations of Independence

What is Advocacy? Active support, especially for a cause What is Self-Advocacy? Active support for your own cause Ask people to share what self-advocacy means to them, and write their ideas on the flip chart. The simplest definition of advocacy is: Active support, especially for a cause Standing up for yourself Defending your own rights Defending the rights of others Show example of one person physically supporting another person. Or, show how a table cannot be fully supported without all of it’s legs.

Self Advocacy is… Speaking up for yourself and for other people who don’t have the tools or courage to speak up for themselves.

As a Self-Advocate, you can learn how to: Speak up for yourself Speak up for others Make your own decisions, goals and dreams for your life Join with others to speak up and make changes in the things that are important to your group Out of these 3 bullets, which is most important to you? Which one have you done the most of? Which one do you want to get better at doing? All people, with or without disabilities, must learn self-advocacy skills because they help us discover who we are and who we want to become.

Nothing about me… without me!

Creating a Culture Where We Support Each Other and our Dreams

Action Planning a Dream WHO WILL DO WHAT BY WHEN COMMENTS

Three Cheers for the Dreamers! SAY: Take a moment to think about the person or people in your lives that you can share your dreams with. These are people who love you and care about you. They can be moms or dads, sisters or brothers, friends, boyfriends or girlfriends, husbands or wives, or staff. These are our Dream Cheerleaders. They cheer us on when we are down. They believe in us and in our dreams. So take a moment. If you want to close your eyes, go right ahead. Just take a moment to think about the people in your life that you can share your dreams with. (wait about a minute) Now get the pompon that is on the table in front of you. We’re going to cheer for our dream cheerleaders! DO: Share who your dream cheerleaders are, and give them a hip-hip-hooray! Ask each participant to name his/her dream cheerleader(s) and then give the dream cheerleader(s) a “shout out” hip-hip-hooray. SAY: Do you carry around pompons in your purse? Pocket? Backpack? Lunch box? I didn’t think so! We usually don’t carry around pompons so that when we see or think about our dream cheerleaders, we can give them a cheer. Instead, we can use a Dream Keeper postcard to let our dream keepers know that they are important to us. Three Cheers for the Dreamers!

A S.T.U.P.I.D. Poem ~ Amy Walker, Illinois Voices Systems Change Activist S = STEREOTYPE T = TACKY U = UNFAIR P = PREJUDICE I = INEXCUSABLE D = DEGRADING

People First Language Put people first Do not focus on disability Do not use general labels Emphasize abilities, gifts and talents Words matter

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."  ~ Mark Twain

Three Types of Power Power Over Power With Power Within

The Power of a Self-Advocacy Group Letters to Legislators Changes in State-Funded Services Respectful Language Disability History Staff Training Closing Institutions Transportation Changes in Laws Voting Awareness Creating New Self-Advocacy Groups

Building the SAFA Network Dream Collage DO: Make sure all tables are clean and free from liquids. Ready the collage making supplies: colored construction paper, colored markers, glue sticks, scissors, newspapers, magazines, ads. Each participant picks his/her choice of colored construction paper. Explain that creativity is key to making the collages! For example, a participant may have a dream of traveling to Florida, but there are no pictures of Florida to be found. The participant can cut out and glue a picture of a suitcase to represent the dream of going to Florida. Participants can use markers to write words on their collages and can draw pictures to represent their dreams. Make sure participants write their names on their collages so they know which collage belongs to whom! Participants are encouraged to “shout out” a picture they may be looking for, and if another participant finds that picture, to share it. Working collaboratively is the key to collage making success! Give participants at least thirty (30) minutes to complete collages. NOTE: If laminating the collages, pictures glued onto the collages should remain within the edges of the construction paper so that they don’t have to be cut off in order to fit through the laminating machine.

Action Planning for SAFA Network’s Future

As part of the SAFA Network Community, you can speak up for yourself and for others!

Questions? Comments? SAFA Network Coordinator SAFA Network Liaison Jasmine Suarez-O’Connor Burnt Hills, NY Doconno2@nycap.rr.com 518-346-1715 Leigh Ann Davis Washington, DC ldavis@thearc.org 202-534-3727 Mention they will receive an evaluation form at the end of the last session on Friday, and to please fill it out.

Discover The Power of P.E.E.R. Blue Tower Training Center (BTTC) is a division of Macon Resources, Inc. (MRI) which provides training, consultation, training materials and resources on a national as well as international basis. Discover The Power of P.E.E.R. Passion. Equality. Empowerment. Respect. Learn more about BTTC by logging on to www.bluetowertraining.com Blue Tower Training Center