ADVOCATING CHANGE TOGETHER

ADVOCATING CHANGE TOGETHER'S (ACT) MISSION IS TO ADVANCE "SELF ADVOCACY" WHICH, AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS, ENGAGES PEOPLE WITH DEVLOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO BE IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN DECISIONS AND TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. ACT DESCRIBES SELF-ADVOCACY AS A THREE-LEGGED STOOL. THE FIRST LEG IS THE PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT THAT SOMEONE GROWS INTO, WHERE THEY CAN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND GO FOR WHAT THEY WANT. THE SECOND LEG IS UNDERSTANDING DISABILITY NOT AS A PHYSICAL PROBLEM WITHIN THE PERSON, BUT AS A DISCRIMINATION PROBLEM WITHIN SOCIETY. THE THIRD LEG IS THE SOCIAL CHANGE MOVEMENT, WHERE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES JOIN TOGETHER (ORGANIZE) TO GET THE POWER TO CHANGE SOCIETY.