GCDD Gets Ready for 2017 Georgia General Assembly, Discusses Disability Representation in the Media and Focuses on Inclusive Employment in its Winter Issue of Making a Difference
ATLANTA, GA, February 14, 2017 -- Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities’ (GCDD) Winter edition of Making a Difference quarterly news magazine previews the 2017 Georgia General Assembly legislative session; discusses disability representation in mainstream media; and focuses on steps towards inclusive and competitive employment for people with disabilities.
GCDD’s public policy team got ready for the 2017 Georgia General Assembly and provided an in-depth legislative preview that discussed the goals and policies GCDD and its advocates would be supporting this session.
Issues included supporting Employment First legislation; inclusive post-secondary education programs in GA; and requesting more funding for developmental disability waivers to support people with developmental disabilities.
“GCDD remains committed to working hard on a daily basis at the Gold Dome during the legislative session alongside policymakers and other allies to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work, play and worship in Georgia communities,” said Dawn Alford, GCDD’s public policy director.
Additionally, the Council kicked off its second annual Advocacy Days. The legislative advocacy days encourage self-advocates, families, professionals and other stakeholders to advocate for issues important to Georgia’s disability community. Advocacy Days will be held from February 1 – March 9, 2017.
The winter issue also looks into the disability representation in mainstream media. In its annual report assessing representation of minority groups on television, including people with disabilities, GLAAD’s (formerly the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) findings showed that characters with disabilities account for 1.7% of all series regulars on network shows for the 2016-2017 season, the highest percentage recorded since GLAAD started tracking disability representation on TV in 2010.
Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, co-director, Emory University’s Disability Studies Initiative, provides some insight on the matter. “It is important that these shows are understood as public conversation starters, and we pay attention to the very fact that disability is in there.”
This issue also covers the organization’s initiative, Take Your Legislator to Work Day, that allows people with disabilities invite their local legislator to their place of work. The initiative aims to allow policymakers to see the positive impact of competitive employment for people with disabilities.
Additionally, Jaehne Clare, executive director of VSA arts and Douglas Scott, founder of Full Radius Dance Company, share their perspectives on the need for more people with disabilities in the arts.
Making a Difference is also now available in Spanish and can be downloaded on www.gcdd.org GCDD’s next quarterly meeting will be held in Atlanta, GA on April 20-21, 2017. All meetings are open to the public.
Media links:
To read Making a Difference Winter 2017 (in English or Spanish), visit http://bit.ly/MADWinter2017
For photos of Making a Difference Winter 2017, visit http://bit.ly/MADWinter2017Photos
About Making a Difference:
Making a Difference is published by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). Current and past issues can be accessed online at www.gcdd.org and hard copies can be requested by contacting the GCDD Office of Public Information. Making a Difference is available online in accessible PDF and large print format in both English and Spanish. The magazine is also available on audio. www.gcdd.org/news-a-media/making-a-difference-magazine.html
About Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD):
The mission of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work, play and worship in Georgia communities. www.gcdd.org
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Valerie Meadows Suber, Public Information Director
Editor-in-Chief, Making a Difference magazine
Work 404.657.2122, Cell 404.801.7873
www.gcdd.org
Twitter: @georgiacouncil
