Advocacy Days 2023

2023 Advocacy Days

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) will host its annual Advocacy Days beginning Tuesday, January 24, 2023. During the 2023 legislative session, GCDD will again host three advocacy days, but this time they will take place over a two-day period, one day of virtual preparation, the next day in person at the Georgia State Capitol.

The topics for Advocacy Days 2023 are:

Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE)
Waivers and Wages
Advancing Employment First and Ending Subminimum Wage.

Each event will consist of a virtual portion where topics and how best to prepare for advocating are discussed. The second day will consist of an in-person opportunity for advocates to meet GCDD staff and partners at the Georgia State Capitol to advocate for these issues in person.

IPSE Day:

MORNING: Jan 24, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrd-ihqTgrG9YR9Ow5z47MfLfta3pbh5tq

IN-PERSON at the CAPITOL: Wednesday, January 25* 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwufumgrjIrE9RNXv9J4cmH_hvOn4BthNG6

WAIVERS and WAGES Day:

MORNING: Feb 15, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqcuqsrD0jG9ckXL-8YolUlCodIQxVCdYc

EVENING: Feb 15, 2023 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqcuihpjMuHtaE1IVtn32OZlX6GkArvfvX

IN-PERSON at the CAPITOL: Thursday, Feb 16, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIpcu-vpzMsH9RggLCVGcXPQtwxKEIYB3Gx

Employment First/Ending Subminimum Wage Day:

MORNING: Mar 7, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpf-yopj8vG9UQdW2HgCwxP1aKYbNKART_

IN-PERSON at the CAPITOL Mar 8, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEufuGqrDgjH9OmncualARGvlzLnU6r_4Xm

2023 Virtual Advocacy Preparation Agenda

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM or 6:-8:00 PM:
- Orientation to the specific day’s topic and advocacy preparation

2023 In-Person Advocacy Day Agenda

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Arrival & Check-In at Gold Dome
9:30-10:00 AM – Brief Orientation & Materials Pick Up
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Visit with Legislators “at the Ropes”

BE an Advocacy Day Team Leader! Attend Team Lead Volunteer Virtual Training

GCDD is excited to announce three upcoming Team Lead Volunteer Virtual trainings:

Friday, January 20, 2023 from 10am-11am
Friday, February 10, 2023 from 10am-11am
Friday, March 3, 2023 from 10am-11am

Geared at preparing advocates to take a leadership role at GCDD’s Advocacy Days, Team Lead Volunteers will learn how to navigate the Georgia State Capitol and support attendees in speaking with their legislators. Each training will be specific to the topic of the following advocacy day. The January 20^th training will be in support of the January 24^th IPSE Advocacy Day, the February 10^th training will be in support of the February 15^th Waivers and Wages Advocacy Day, and the March 3^rd training will be in support of the March 7^th Employment First/Ending Subminimum Wage Advocacy Day.

Team Leaders attend training to take leadership roles in supporting attendees in speaking with their legislators. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in honing their advocacy skills and supporting others to raise their voice! To sign up, email us at .

FAQs

Are there ID requirements to enter the event?
Bring photo identification. You will need it to pass through security in the Capitol.

What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?

MARTA:
Take Blue line to Georgia State MARTA Transit station and use the MLK Jr. Drive exit. Head right on MLK Jr. Drive for 1.5 blocks. Central Presbyterian Church will be on the corner of MLK Jr. Drive and Washington Street.

Parking options:
The cost of parking varies depending on the lot but is at minimum $10 and can be up to approximately $20. To pay, you must have either the exact change or a credit/ debit card. Go to the link below to find the available parking options for the general public near the Gold Dome and the Central Presbyterian Church. There is not available parking at the church itself. https://gba.georgia.gov/general-public-parking

Steve Polk Plaza
65 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Atlanta, GA
Located near Underground Atlanta & Georgia Railroad Freight Depot.

Capitol Lot Daily
218 Capitol Avenue, Atlanta, GA
Located on Capitol Avenue near the State Capitol.

Pete Hackney
162 Jesse Hill Jr., Drive, Atlanta, GA
Located at the corner of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive and Decatur Street.

Archives Surface Lot/Fraser Street Surface Lot
359 Fraser Street, Atlanta, GA

Where can I find a map of the area around the Gold Dome and Central Presbyterian Church?
https://gba.georgia.gov/document/document/gba-map-parking-12-5-2020pdf/download

What can I not bring into the event?
Weapons are not allowed in the State Capitol. Please leave all knives, guns and other such items at home.

What if I don't know who my State Senator or State Representative is?

During Advocacy Day the State Capitol is full of people and energy. Imagine the hustle and bustle of a mall during the holidays. There are lots of crowds, noise and tight places to navigate. Don’t worry though because we can help you while you are there. We simply want to make you aware of the environment ahead of time. If this environment feels like it might be untenable for you, consider requesting a one-on-one meeting with your legislator in his or her office.

To find your state legislators, you may visit the following website and enter your home street address at https://openstates.org/

Once you know who your state representative is, you can look up their picture, office location, phone number, assistant’s name, short biography, and contact information here by searching for their last name in the alphabetical listing provided http://www.house.ga.gov/Representatives/en-US/HouseMembersList.aspx

You can find the same information for your state senator by searching for their last name in the alphabetical listing at https://www.legis.ga.gov/members/senate