Decades Later, the Fight for Educational Supports for Kids with Disabilities Remains Unchanged

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Decades Later, the Fight for Educational Supports for Kids with Disabilities Remains Unchanged

This summer, I spent time cleaning out my parents’ basement. Having lived in the same house for over 50 years, it was a treasure trove of old magazines, family photos, expired foods, vases and so much more.

One of the interesting things I came across in my purging was a binder from the 1980s about my brother. I know many parents and caregivers of kids with disabilities are familiar with this binder (I have a few in my house). It’s a summary of letters to the school, medical and therapy reports, assessments, and report cards.

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Empowering Voices: Importance of Self-Advocacy for People with Disabilities

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Empowering Voices: Importance of Self-Advocacy for People with Disabilities

I consider myself a strong advocate. I take an active role in advocating for kids with disabilities and don’t shy away from asking tough questions.

I’ve taken my advocacy skills for granted until the day I had to stand up for my brother. It realized that what comes naturally to me is a challenge for him. Being raised in the 80s and 90s, he was never encouraged to ask questions, give his opinion or speak up for himself.

Sadly, this is the case for many people with disabilities. While there are now self-advocacy groups and conferences, not everyone feels empowered to use their voice.

Yet self-advocacy skills are key to increasing independence, improving quality of life and creating a truly inclusive world.

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