For many people with disabilities, finding independence, purpose, and a full life in the community can be a daily challenge. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are community-based, non-residential organizations who help people who want to overcome these challenges. CILs are run by people with disabilities. Their philosophy is to support the goals of people with disabilities to live independently and find their voice as self-advocates. They are committed to helping people with disabilities live meaningful lives. “We want to give individuals with disabilities a sense of purpose and let them…

Every election presents an opportunity for people to shape the future of their communities. Voting allows people to lend their voices to improving their city, state, or country. Derek Heard, an Albany native with autism, is developing a voter education campaign. The campaign uplifts the voices of individuals with disabilities and encourages them to exercise their right to vote. Using his two passions – art and activism – he is creating a documentary, Doodling for Democracy. The documentary shares his experience navigating the voting system as a person with a disability. It shows how his…

Since its inception in 1971, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), formerly known as the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, has been a powerful advocate for more than 1.7 million Georgians with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families. Our success is driven by the 27-member, Governor-appointed Council and the statewide DD community that have been integral in driving projects, partnerships and policy for Georgia’s DD community.  And to continue our work and impact, GCDD has launched a membership campaign to recruit new applicants interested i…

National Siblings Day, a day that celebrates and strengthens the bond shared by siblings and celebrates siblings’ relationships, is celebrated on April 10th each year. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) wants to recognize sibling advocates in Georgia. A sibling advocate is a sibling of an individual who has a developmental disability. Often times people think of parents as the caretaker or provider, but siblings have also had to step in and take care of their loved ones for life. Mira Patel, who works for the DeKalb Community Service Board is a sibling advocate. Her bro…

Olmstead v. L.C. is the Supreme Court case that provided what is now known as the Olmstead decision. In 1999, Lois Curtis—the L.C. in Olmstead v. L.C.—and Elaine Wilson, two women with disabilities living in Georgia institutions, successfully argued in the Supreme Court that housing people with disabilities in segregated settings who are capable of living in the community constitutes discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Curtis, who was diagnosed with both an intellectual disability and mental illness at a young age, passed away on November 3, 2022, from pancreatic cancer…

The National Business Association says that small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They create two out of every three new jobs in the country. They also make up almost half of all the money and goods that America produces each year. Many organizations support small businesses through funding, connections, and mentorship. But until 2016, none of these groups chose to include business owners who have disabilities. Synergies Work was launched in 2016 to close the opportunity and wealth gaps between the disability and business communities. Founder and CEO Aarti Sahgal wanted to create…

Many Georgians associate the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) with serving or working only with the disability community in Metro Atlanta. To make sure that people with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families meet the Council and learn that it serves the entire state of Georgia, GCDD is launching its virtual road tour and campaign, “G is for Georgia!” This new campaign will highlight the DD community and GCDD’s work throughout the state of Georgia in a fun, interactive way. The goal of the campaign will be to introduce the Council to Georgians with DD across th…