DD Awareness Day, Carol

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day

Each year in March, National Disability Awareness month is celebrated. This year’s theme is “Side by Side”. This theme was continued at the Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day, where they also added, “Hand in Hand” and “Heart to Heart”. People with and without disabilities working, going to school, playing and participating in their communities together.

On March 8, hundreds of advocates people gathered at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus to advocate policy issues that impact the lives of people with developmental disabilities. Attendees met with policymakers to educate them about how state government services and policies can be improved, expanded or strengthened.

Our LEND trainees traveled to Columbus to attend this event and put the knowledge they’ve been learning into action. Here’s what they had to say about the event.

Carol: Disability Awareness Day was a great learning experience and prepared me for future discussions with my legislators. One of my meetings did not go as I imagined, but it opened my eyes to the need to get out there to advocate, educate and vote during all of the local elections. My second meeting focused on the budget and because of the many complex needs of my son Grayson, I was able to tie a lot of that back to our personal story. The representative actively participated in our discussion and shared some of his personal experiences. It’s refreshing to know that there are so many people out there advocating and educating others on behalf of children and adults of all abilities.