Citizenship and Advocacy
People lead whole lives made up of specific, connected, and integrated life domains that are important to a good quality of life. Our lives are complex and multi-faceted. What happens in one area of our life (say, in our jobs) affects another (our family or housing situation). It is important to recognize the interconnectedness of everyday life so we can work to make our whole lives as complete and fulfilling as possible.
As the Maryland legislative session begins, our team wants to highlight the Citizenship and Advocacy domain. Each year legislators and lobbyists make decisions about budgets and laws that directly impact our everyday lives. It is important that each of us increase our knowledge about key issues that affect the lives, services, and supports of all people in need.
The Citizenship & Advocacy life domain is a principle that focuses on building valued roles, making choices, setting goals, assuming responsibility and driving how one’s own life is lived.
Being known and valued in one’s community gives a person a sense of worth, of being a contributor and a good citizen, not just someone who needs assistance. Learning to make choices, set goals, and knowing how to speak up for wants and needs leads to being more self-determined in life and essential to becoming an advocate for yourself or others.
Are you looking for more information on Rights? Clicking on the names below will lead you to Organizations that work to bring empowerment, equality and integration to the forefront of conversations within our local, state, and federal levels.
If you haven't signed up for their newsletter/legislative alerts, you should!! It is important to learn when they need the voices of advocates, families, and the direct support staff that support you!
See a topic that is really important to you and want to share your story or experiences? Click
here
to share your story with us.
Want to experience Developmental Disabilities Day in Annapolis this year? DD day at The Legislature is February 13, 2019 from 8:00-11:00 am
Hotel Annapolis (Loews Annapolis Hotel)
126 West Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Be Prepared For DD day
by doing the following:
Look up who your Legislators are
here
Read the public policy platform from the DD Council
here
