Join the Autism Society Central VA for DD Advocacy Day
January 17, 2018
Together we can make a difference!
Join the Autism Society Central VA as we gather with other family/self-advocacy organizations from across the state for Developmental Disabilities (DD) Advocacy Day at the General Assembly on Wednesday, January 17, 2018.
You can participate in one of two ways:
1) Meet us at the General Assembly (e-mail us and let us know you’ll be meeting us)
-or-
2) Ride in one of two vans the ASCV is sponsoring (register through this Eventbrite) Registration for the vans will close at noon on Tuesday, January 9th. You can register here – https://ddadvocacyday2018.eventbrite.com
On January 17th, we’ll visit our legislators and ask them to support the Developmental Disabilities community by supporting funding for waivers and other legislation of importance to our community. The morning will include visits with your legislators and a rally on the grounds of the Capitol, followed by a free luncheon sponsored by the Arc of VA. We’ll board the vans around 1:30pm to head back to where you left your car.
ASCV member Dawn Fortin shared the following about her first trip to the General Assembly:
On DD Advocacy day, I boarded the van and was given a folder with my timeline and a map of the State Capitol. There was also one folder that was left with each delegate or senator from the Autism Society detailing ways they could help those with developmental disabilities.
The advocates who rode in the van from Chesterfield decided to stay together and support one another. Nobody had to speak in front of a huge room full of people or use a microphone (that is what I envisioned), we just went to the senator’s or delegate’s office and spoke there.
I would tell other self-advocates and family members that they should go to DD Advocacy day next year. If I had known that the process was this simple and how empowering it is to speak and be heard for your loved one, I would have been going every year!