Advocating to the Fullest
Georgians with disabilities want to live full lives in our communities and they are fully capable of doing so. And we know that if we, the citizens of Georgia, choose to make positive changes to our system, more and more people with disabilities will be working in our communities, living with their families or friends or independently as they so choose, and participating in their communities all across Georgia.
When all of our citizens, including those with disabilities, are able to use their gifts and talents and pursue their dreams, it creates a better Georgia for us all. To make this a reality, we all have to become advocates to promote public policy that is truly inclusive of citizens with disabilities. As the new legislative session has kicked off and the nation will be inaugurating a new administration at the federal level, it is important to remember that advocating just doesn’t stop at the polls.
To continue advocating, it is important to keep paying attention to the legislation that is being voted on, new rules and regulations coming from the state and federal level and how they can affect you and how you can make sure you can have your voices heard throughout the entire process.
Know Your Legislators
In the November election, the nation voted for a new president, US senators and representatives, and state senators and representatives. It is important to learn who your state and US senators and representatives are and how they will support issues that are important to you. To find out who your state senators and representatives are, visit: https://openstates.org
Connect with Your Legislators
To be an effective advocate for change, building key and strong relationships with your senators and representatives is important. Advocates should connect with legislators year-round, but during the session, it is also key to keep the connection. During the session, contact your legislator with the method they prefer best. Some legislators love emails while others disregard them. As a general rule, the best way to contact your legislator is as follows in descending order of impact: personal visit to the Capitol; email; letter mailed or faxed to their office; and finally, phone call to their office. If you are coming to meet your legislator, the best time to find them is generally between 10 AM and noon in the chamber on the third floor of the Capitol, although they convene at different times on some days. Check with the House Clerk’s Office and the Secretary of the Senate’s Office to determine what time they go into session on the day you plan to visit.
To find contact information for your legislators and copies of legislation, join GCDD’s Advocacy Network at http://www.ciclt.net/sn/gre2/gre2_join.aspx?ClientCode=gcdd
Advocate with GCDD
This year, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) and its public policy staff will be at the Gold Dome again to advocate for waivers, Employment First, education and more during Advocacy Days. We encourage you to sign up and come advocate with us. Check page 15 for more information and how to register for Advocacy Days.
GCDD also encourages you to get involved by joining our Advocacy Network through our website. Through the network, you can learn about bills of interest and your elected officials or sign up for alerts and publications. To be an effective advocate, you have to be well informed. By joining the Advocacy Network, you will be able to:
• Track Legislation: Review the bills GCDD is tracking at the State Capitol. The legislation is organized by category and topic to make it easy to find the bills you are looking for.
• Interact with Elected Officials: Based on your home address we link you to your state and federal elected officials. Do you know a legislator? Did you speak with a legislator? Let us know by recording your interactions with elected officials and your key relationships.
• Receive Publications and Alerts: Choose to receive our Advocacy & Policy Alerts, which include Calls to Action, Public Policy for the People legislative eNewsletter and Updates; Community News; UNLOCK! Alerts and/or GCDD’s quarterly Making a Difference magazine.
Listen to the audio version of the magazine by clicking on the orange "Play" button below:
