Archived Press Releases

2007 Disability Day At The Capitol Breaks Attendance Record & Falcons’ Quarterback D.J. Shockley Shares Personal Experience With Disability

ATLANTA, GA (Feb. 27, 2007) – Attracting more the 1800 Georgians with disabilities, their family members and supporters, the 9th Annual Disability Day At The Capitol's "Making it Real" rally on Feb. 22 marked the largest gathering of Georgia disability advocates to date. Falcons' quarterback D.J. Shockley addressed the crowd, sharing his personal experience of two brothers with a disability.

"I can't say enough how honored I am to be here today... to see families, brothers, sisters together. I have two brothers with Fragile X Syndrome. They are the inspiration for what I do...They inspire me like you inspire me," Atlanta Falcons' quarterback D.J. Shockley told the crowd. "I know from them what you go through. Anything I can do, I'm here," Shockley concluded.

Led by GCDD Chair Tom Seegmueller and Executive Director Eric E. Jacobson, Thursday's event was sponsored by the Georgia Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) with support from a host of advocacy groups and co-sponsors. Rally speakers included national disability advocate Michael Morris, Director of the National Disability Institute; Gail Heyman, President of the Fragile X Association of Georgia; and, Anil Lewis, President of the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia and Board Chair of the State-wide Independent Living Council.

The day began with breakfast at the Georgia Freight Depot where advocates from across Georgia prepared for the "Make It Real" rally on the Capitol steps, followed by lunch at the Georgia Freight Depot with legislators from both sides of the aisle. Over 30 legislators attended the event, including Representative Judy Manning (R-Dist. 32), Senator Eric Johnson (R-Dist. 1) and Representative Sharon Cooper (R-Dist. 41) who brought greetings to the gathering that filled the Capitol steps plaza and overflowed on to Washington Street.

More than 100 young people served as volunteers for the event. Students from Hall and Barrow counties participated as part of their schools' "Partners Club," an innovative organization designed to engage students with and without disabilities in community service projects and social activities which allow them to learn from and interact with one another. With 80-100 members each, The Partners Club is one of the most active clubs at the schools. Fifteen of the students from The Epstein School in Sandy Springs were selected for a special certification and received Orientation and Mobility Training conducted by The Center for the Visually Impaired. Their training, which included the video "What to do When You Meet a Blind Person" enabled them to successfully assist those with visual impairment who attended the rally.

"Each year Disability Day grows in numbers and in substance because people with disabilities make up the largest minority population in our society and their family members, friends, neighbors and supporters join them to influence public policy that positively impacts their quality of life," explained GCDD Executive Director Eric E. Jacobson. "GCDD promotes real careers, real homes, real learning, real influence and real supports because this is what people with disabilities and their families are advocating for...real lives, " Jacobson said.

Chants of, "Unlock The Waiting List," were echoed throughout the day referring to key legislation that calls for funding of community based services for nearly 7,000 Georgians on waiting lists to receive vital supports.

Disability Day provides legislators with an opportunity to hear real stories from their constituents about how these issues affect them. Hundreds of constituents signed their names and listed their home towns on a huge banner which will be reproduced as a giant post card and sent to Georgia elected officials.

GCDD is a Federally-funded state agency charged with creating systems for change for people with developmental disabilities and their families, with a goal to increase independence, inclusion, integration, self-determination and productivity through activities such as public policy research and analysis, project demonstrations, advocacy and public information.