Governor Slated to Speak at 13th Annual Disability Day at the Capitol

Valerie Meadows Suber, Public Information Director

Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

404-657-2122 (office); 404-226-0343 (mobile)

[email protected]">

WHAT:         Disability Day at the Capitol, the largest public gathering and rally held annually during the official legislative session, underscores the need for community-based services and vital supports.  Nearly 2,000 Georgians are expected to attend and advocate for improved services and greater community access for people with disabilities and their families. “Unlock The Doors To Real Communities” is the theme for this year’s Rally, celebrating the 40th anniversary of GCDD (www.gcdd.org ) and the 1971 legislation which established councils on developmental disabilities nationwide.

WHO:                  Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), Sponsor

(Tom Seegmueller, chair, and Eric E. Jacobson, executive director)

Capitol Rally at 11 am:

  • Governor Nathan Deal will address the gathering, emphasizing his support for people with disabilities.  “As a state, we must provide a stronger, more effective community-based infrastructure to meet the individual needs of people with disabilities,” he said in a guest article submission in GCDD’s Winter 2011 Making A Difference Magazine.
  • Tom Seegmueller will provide a snapshot of milestones in the disability rights movement since 1971, including the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act which established the right of children with disabilities to a public school education in an integrated environment, the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act, and the landmark 1999 Olmstead Decision which was affirmed in the 2010 DOJ settlement with Georgia
  • Nearly 2,000 supporters expected from throughout Georgia
  • State legislators and elected officials

WHEN:         Thursday, February 24, 2011

9:00 amRegistration and activities, Georgia Freight Depot

  • View and vote for finalist entries in the “Creedo for Friendship” high school video contest (student-produced videos highlight  ways the social climate has changed for people with disabilities and is sponsored by Partnerships for Success)
  • Constituents sign a huge banner noting their Georgia hometown
  • T-shirt pick up

11:00 am – Rally at the Capitol Steps

1:00 pmLunch (Legislators, Constituents, Advocates) Georgia Freight Depot

  • Special large screen presentation by Tom Kohler of his book, Waddie Welcome & The Beloved Community featuring the multiple voices of guest readers from the community
  • “Creedo for Friendship” high school video contest (view/vote throughout the day)

WHERE:         Capitol steps, Washington Street side and adjacent Georgia Freight Depot

WHY:         One in five Georgians has a disability.  Greater than 50 million Americans have some type of disability as an occurrence of birth, injury or longevity.  The annual rally promotes access, opportunity and meaningful community living for Georgians with disabilities and their families.