Weekly Virtual Webinars on Thursdays
10:30 – 11:30am
Presented by:
All About Voter Education and Registration: February 29, 2024
Presentation covers the 5 w’s of voting and how we register to vote. Participants will learn the importance of voter registration, guiding individuals through the registration process, ballot options, accessing accommodations or resources tailored to their needs, how to research issues and candidates, and using supports to cast their ballot. Presentation empowers individuals with disabilities to exercise their right to vote. Includes pre- and post-module questions to assess learning. Material is explained in plain language with examples.
Speakers:
- Erin Compton is a self-advocate in High School, and one of the youngest members of the IL State Rehabilitation Council, representing students who are transitioning from school to their future lives. She dances at Joffrey Ballet, Expression Dance, and Access Living Inclusive Dance, and is part of the Young Choreographers Project out of Los Angeles. Erin plans to attend college and would like to work in government, representing students with disabilities.
Looking Up Your Legislator: March 7, 2024
Presentation provides step-by-step instructions for how to use three different legislative lookup websites. Presentation also briefly covers the three levels of government (federal, state, and local) and the basic structure of federal, state, and local legislatures. Includes pre- and post-module questions to assess learning. Material is explained in plain language with examples.
Speakers:
- John Porter is an experienced and skillful advocate for himself and others. He spent six and a half years at Howe Center in Tinley Park, Illinois, in what was supposed to be a temporary stay. Now he lives in a CILA of his choice in Pontiac, Illinois, closer to family and friends. He has made job and home changes since Howe, as he has advocated for what he wants and needs. The latest transition is to apartment living. He has many friends in the disability field, and he knows who to call! He is proud of his years of affiliation with People First, the Arc of Illinois Mentor Program, and the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, where he now serves on the board. John enjoys going out, all sports, keeping up with the news and social media, and phone conversations with friends near and far. John would like to see funding shift from institutions to services in the community.
Crafting an Elevator Speech: March 14, 2024
Presentation provides overview on the importance of elevator speeches and how to write one. Discusses why “short and sweet” speeches are especially useful when communicating with elected officials. Presentation breaks elevator speeches into three parts: beginning, middle, and end, and explains what each part should aim to accomplish. Includes pre- and post-module questions to assess learning. Material is explained in plain language with examples.
Speakers:
- Curtis Harris is an activist, organizer, and self-advocate working towards disability rights and autism acceptance. He is a board member with Chicagoland Autism Connection and has worked with organizations including Access Living, ADAPT, Refuse Fascism, and numerous other working towards civil rights and health care for all.
Arranging a Meeting with Your Legislator: March 21, 2024
Presentation explains the steps involved in setting up a meeting with your legislator, including: find out who represents you; use their website contact form to send a meeting invitation; using their phone line to set up a meeting; how and when to follow up and confirm details a few days before with their office; where and how to read up on the legislator including their bio, committee assignments, and priorities; and sending a follow-up email afterward. Presentation also offers advice on effective legislative advocacy. Includes pre- and post-module questions to assess learning. Material is explained in plain language with examples.
- Dianne Husby-Gordon is a passionate disability advocate dedicated to creating a more inclusive and accessible world for individuals of all abilities. Dianne understands some of the challenges and barriers faced by people with disabilities firsthand, having dealt with epilepsy and ADHD throughout her life and as a foster and adoptive parent of medically fragile children. Throughout her adult life, Dianne has been a fierce advocate for disability rights, working to promote awareness, acceptance, and equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities in various aspects of society. Her advocacy efforts span across education, employment, and healthcare, as well as helping to create adapted environmental elements to make the world more accessible. Dianne spent the early part of her career as an engineer, product manager and director of services for several Educational Hardware and Software companies including IBM, NCS and Pearson. While her educational background is engineering, she found her passion was finding and developing technology solutions to make education, learning and technology tools more accessible to kids and adults with a variety of disabilities. In 2014, Dianne and 3 other parents founded an organization called CU Able in Champaign County to help guardian/parent caretakers navigate the various institutional systems to gain inclusive and equitable access to education, medical care and community activities. CU Able provides educational events, family outings and a bi-monthly open pantry for families which is sponsored by Amazon and Fed Ex. In 2017 Dianne was in the inaugural Volunteer Advocacy Program held by the University of Illinois Special Education department and Family Matters in Effingham. This program trained advocates to help other parents navigate the educational system -particularly the IEP and 504 process. Each year Dianne works with several families to navigate educational service issues in their local school districts. In 2023, Dianne started working very with her local senator on some issues related to healthcare access. He wanted to learn more about disability issues and realized that he wanted to tackle some larger concerns related to access to medical and community services, so he created a disability liaison position in his office. Dianne was accepted into that role, which is what brought her to the Going Home Coalition and why she is here today! She currently works in the Champaign Office of the IL 52nd Senate district for Senator Paul Faraci. In her spare time, she has become a “sports mom” and sits on the board of directors of the TNT Firecrackers Special Olympics team based in Champaign County. Their team participates in 9 sports and has 70 active athletes who recently won their first state basketball championship!
How to Submit a Witness Slip: March 28, 2024
Presentation explains what a witness slip is and how to fill one out using Illinois General Assembly website (ilga.gov). Presentation walks you through the process using images from the website with step-by-step instructions. Module also provides examples of additional ways to get involved and suggestions for encouraging friends and family to submit witness slips as well. Includes pre- and post-module questions to assess learning. Material is explained in plain language with examples.
- Sarah Demissie: My name is Sarah Demissie and I live in Champaign, Illinois. I am a Community Choices member and a co-facilitator for a leadership class and an advocacy group at Community Choices in Champaign. I also work remotely as a self-advocacy researcher and facilitator through the Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee on a grant funded project. In my spare time, I enjoy exercising, listening to music, watching movies and television shows, while socializing with others. Most importantly, I like spending time with family and friends.
Discussing Political Issues with Civility: April 4, 2024
Presentation provides advice for how to navigate situations to better be able to discuss political issues. Bulk of the material is devoted towards “disagreeing with grace” and how to have challenging conversations. The presentation also covers identifying situations requiring boundary setting and productive ways to do that. Includes pre- and post-module questions to assess learning. Material is explained in plain language with examples.
- Adam Wiser is the Project Director for the Illinois Self-Advocacy Alliance (The Alliance). He is a long-standing member of Going Home Coalition, and is an accomplished speaker on such subjects as independent living with support, discussing politics with civility, and voting through The American Association for People with Disabilities (AAPD’s) REV UP Illinois grant at [thearcofil.org]The Arc of Illinois. He also serves on the Young Professional Board and is a member of the Advocacy Awareness Club at the Center for Independent Futures in Evanston, Illinois. He completed the Path to Academics, Community and Employment (https://nl.edu/pace/P.A.C.E program) through National Louis University, and lives independently in his own apartment with roommates. He enjoys riding his bike and spending time with the house dog Bruce. Adam specializes in empowering other self-advocates to speak up and speak out and presents regularly as a content expert for The Alliance.
How to Become an Election Judge at Polling Places: April 11, 2024
Learn about different opportunities, some paid, as a poll worker on election day and help shape democracy as being inclusive. Presentation discusses the requirements and training needed to become a poll worker and how to connect with your local board of elections for more information and training. Includes pre- and post-module questions to assess learning. Material is explained in plain language with examples.
How a Bill Becomes a Law: Federal Government: April 18, 2024
Presentation covers the federal law-making process and explains how a bill moves through the House and Senate before going to the President. Includes pre- and post-module questions to assess learning. Material is explained in plain language with examples.
- Mike Nagel is a Policy Manager with The Arc of the United States, working on policy relating to employment, housing, transportation, and budget & appropriations. He is one of a growing number of autistic advocates working in disability policy in Washington, DC. Nagel was a Paul Marchand Public Policy Intern at The Arc in 2015 and began working there full time the next year. Prior to joining The Arc, he was an Assistant Sergeant at Arms in the North Dakota State Senate and an intern for U.S. Senators Kent Conrad and Heidi Heitkamp.
“In partnership with the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities. This communication is supported in part by grant number CFDA 93.630 from the U.S. administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.”
