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Resources for Political Activism by Persons with Disabilities

Readers of this Impact may find these resources useful for more information.

• Making Your Case. Produced by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. This online, self-directed course teaches people how to communicate with public officials by effectively telling their personal stories, writing letters, providing testimony, and communicating in positive ways. To take the three-hour course online, registration and a small user fee are required. To preview the course and get more information go to www.partnersinpolicymaking.com.
• Our Bill of Rights. Produced by Green Mountain Self-Advocates, a statewide self-advocacy network in Vermont. This 18-minute video was produced to help self-advocates understand their rights and learn how to speak up about them. It includes a short history of the U.S. Bill of Rights, followed by self-advocates describing all the rights and responsibilities that are important to them. It ends with three short stories that demonstrate those rights in daily life. It’s available on DVD. For ordering information contact Green River Self-Advocates at 802/229-2600 or by e-mail at gmsa@sover.net.
• The Disability Rights Movement (http://americanhistory.si.edu/disabilityrights/welcome.html). This exhibit on the American Disability Rights Movement was in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2000 to 2001. It is now available only on the Web, where users can view a history of the movement, including photographs of the people, activities, and publications that have played an important part.
• ADAPT (www.adapt.org). ADAPT has a long history of organizing in the disability community and using non-violent direct action tactics to achieve its goals. In 1983, ADAPT began its successful national campaign for lifts on buses and access to public transit for people with disabilities. It also played a major role in passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. ADAPT is currently working for passage of legislation that will change the long-term care system to support consumer-controlled services in the community. The Web site includes information about legislation, past and upcoming ADAPT actions and events, disability rights training offered by ADAPT, and local ADAPT groups. Further information is also available by calling the Denver ADAPT at 303/733-9324.

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Retrieved from the Web site of the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota (http://ici.umn.edu). Citation: Gaylord, V., Powers, L., Hayden, M., Smith, J., & Finn, C. (Eds.) (2004). Impact: Feature Issue on Political Activism and Voter Participation by Persons with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities 17(2). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration. Available at http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/172/default.html.
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Hard copies of Impact are available from the Publications Office of the Institute on Community Integration. The first copy of this issue is free; additional copies are $4 each. You can request copies by phone at 612-624-4512 or E-mail at icipub@umn.edu, or you can fax or mail us an order form. See our listing of other issues of Impact for more information.

The PDF version of this Impact, with photos and graphics, is also online at http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/172/default.html.

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