Issue
The Alliance News
43
April 2015
In This Issue
Advocacy & Learning
Opportunity
Page 2
Campaign Training Rewind Page 3
This and That
Page 4
Advisors Corner
Page 5
Going Home Rally
Rewind
Advocacy Opportunity
Pages 6 - 8
Page 9
Vision
Our vision is for
self-advocates to
work together to get
the support we need
to live the life we
want in the
community.
Mission
Our mission is to
speak up for
ourselves and each
other while working
together to make
changes in our
communities and
in Illinois.
The Alliance is proud to
be an Initiative of the
Illinois Council on
Developmental
Disabilities
Introducing The Alliance’s logo for Operation: Community Access
campaign selected by the members of the campaign’s Steering
Committee! The Alliance’s Operation: Community Access campaign is
all about people having choice in what they do during the day. The
Steering Committee members are:
Heather C., Self-Advocates of Lake County
Adam C., The Network
Deb F., Sertoma United
Michael J., Speak Out QCA
Kevin L., Advocates in Motion
Ravell McD., CTF Advocacy Center
Tavarus W., ROHSA
Stay tuned to learn more about the campaign!
Illinois Self-Advocacy Alliance
PO Box 666
Park Forest, IL 60466
618.806.9431
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.selfadvocacyalliance.org
Find us on Facebook at Illinois Self-Advocacy Alliance
Advocacy and Learning Opportunity
Page 2
Welcome The Alliance’s Newest Member Group…
CTF Illinois Advocacy Group in Charleston, Illinois!
CTF’s Illinois Advocacy Group in Charleston, Illinois is a busy group! The 15 members of the group meet
every weekday from 8am – 4pm to focus on their goal of being active community members and
community leaders, and making a difference in the lives of others. Whether it is writing a letter to the
editor of a newspaper, speaking at Eastern Illinois University, presenting an Alliance webinar, participating
in the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign, or the Going Home Rally at the state capital, the
group is always looking for opportunities to advocate for themselves and for others.
Check out the Advocacy Group by logging on to www.ctfillinois.org/what_we_do/advocacy-center/.
Check Out How Self-Advocates from CTF’s Advocacy
Group Spread the Word to End the Word on 03.04.15
I spoke to people and I handed out flyers and bracelets on campus at EIU and I had so much fun doing it.
It was a lot of work but we had get it all together and we managed to finish it all in time. I worked with
EIU students and they were really friendly. I also was in a video and I told everyone that I am not my
disability but instead I am a mother.
~ Kimberly E., self-advocate
We had a ball at EIU on the second floor I handed out the bracelets and I spoke to students to Spread
The Word to End the Word. We will be going to Charleston High School on Tuesday, March 31, 2015. We
will ask the students to sign a pledge to no longer use the hurtful “R” word and to use a new “R” word –
RESPECT!
~ Melissa J., self-advocate
We signed R’s with our name on the R’s then we placed these Rs on posters. I spoke up to students and I
said “Spread the word to end the word - the new R word is respect!” Everyone smiled at me when I said
this! Students signed a pledge to end the demeaning use of the R-word then placed a R on the posters at
EIU campus. I had fun doing this! I was happy! I can do something like this again sometime soon – we
are going to “Spread the Word to End the Word” at Charleston High School on March 31, 2015. I like
doing these events so much!
~ Brandy C., self-advocate
Operation: Community Access Regional Training Rewind
Page 3
The Alliance’s Operation: Community Access first regional training was held on March 19, 2015 in
Bloomington, Illinois. During the morning, more than 20 participants learned about community organizing
and the focus of Operation: Community Access campaign. Following lunch and some great “Would You
Rather” decision making activity, the afternoon focused on individual Alliance member groups designing a
strategy plan to increase community access in their agencies/organizations by July 2015. The challenge is
big and the self-advocates are determined that they can meet and exceed that challenge!
The next regional training will be held in Chicago Heights in April; check out the May newsletter to see
pictures from the event!
Please register for The Alliance's Operation Community Access Campaign webinar on Thursday, April 30,
2015 at 10am CDT at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3869752429800501762
Join Tara Wickey and Leanne Roth as they take you through the journey of community organizing and The
Alliance's Operation Community Access Campaign including what you can do in your community to educate
agencies/organizations, family members, friends and allies.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
This and That
Page 4
Travels with Tara Wickey, The Alliance’s Community Organizer
Hi friends! What an exciting month it has been at The Alliance! We hosted one of two leadership
trainings in Bloomington & are looking to see more of you at our Chicago Heights training in a couple of
weeks!
For those of you who may not know, we have a new staff member! Her name is Leanne Roth and she
comes to us from SouthStar Services and will be doing our financials as well as serving as a connector to
some member groups, assisting in community organizing, and training for Alliance events and activities.
Leanne & I recently attended an intense, week-long community organizer training hosted by an
organization called Midwest Academy. We learned all the necessary steps to leading a successful
campaign & made a LOT of new friends & allies along the way. One of the main lessons we learned is
that "being right isn't enough!" Using the skills, tips and tricks from the training, we have a better
understanding of how to mobilize self advocates, agencies & allies to WIN campaigns & change policy in
Illinois, helping to give YOU the lives you want to live in your communities. You can learn more about
Midwest Academy at www.midwestacademy.com.
Leanne and I will be doing a webinar that breaks down ALL that we learned at the training as well as
discuss our current campaign, Operation Community Access. Join us on Thursday, April 30th at 10am.to
learn more about the campaign and how you can be involved! Check out page 3 of the newsletter for
webinar registration information.
Riia Talve, international artist and self-advocate who presented the
webinar “A Life Through Pictures” in October 2014, has a new Facebook
page. Go to Facebook and type in “Riia Talve Group” to get to her page.
Could you let the advocates know or put a my message on the self advocacy page that I have a new page called Riia Talve group to join type
Facebook Riia Talve group and click join The Alliance Staff Contact Information
Riia thanks for everything
Megan Norlin, Advocacy Coordinator
[email protected]
Tara Wickey, Community Organizer
[email protected]
Krescene Beck, Program Coordinator
[email protected]
Leanne Roth, Organizational Coordinator
[email protected]
Advisor’s Corner
Page 5
Welcome to our newest feature ~ Advisors Corner!
Each month we will profile one of the advisors who
is an ally for an Alliance member group.
Jessica Delgado has been the advisor for the CTF Tigers since the group began. As with many advisors,
Jessica was assigned with the task of advising the self advocacy group in addition to her regular duties as
an administrator. When asked how she finds time to advise the group and help them to be involved in so
many events around the state Jessica said that the Alliance newsletter is a great tool! Each month,
Jessica prints the newsletter, and the group goes through it together to decide what events they would
like to participate in for the month. The CTF Tigers are very busy both outside CTF, like helping at a food
pantry and attending classes at Prairie State College, and inside CTF interviewing all staff who want to
work at CTF. The next project for the CTF tigers is to create a video for new staff about what the people
who live in the CILA’s want from their staff! The Alliance wants to thank Jessica and the rest of the
advisors who work with Alliance members for their hard work and dedication to the self advocates and the
self advocacy movement in Illinois! We could not do it without you!
Even though the Going Home Rally is over,
you can do to continue supporting the Going Home Campaign!
Educate. Educate. Educate.
Going Home is all about sharing the success of full community inclusion with everyone you know, the
general public, and especially legislators who need to understand why funding for services and supports in
the community is so important to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Share your story of success in the community – post online on the Going Home Facebook page and
website, like and share stories and information you find on our Facebook page, talk informally to friends
about your hopes and dreams, or make a more formal presentation to your faith community or other
organizations you belong to.
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper about your life in the community and why funding for
community supports is so critical (letter to the editor templates are available online).
Visit your legislators (talking points you can use and fact sheets and infographics are also available online
at www.goinghomeillinois.org).
Invite your legislators to see where you live and/or work.
Keep in touch with the Going Home Campaign for more ideas and support.
Facebook - Going Home: A Full Life in the Community
Website - www.goinghomeillinois.org
Check out the next several pages in the newsletter to see pictures from the rally at the state capital on
March 25, 2015!
Going Home Rally Rewind
Page 6
Photographs © Willow Lane Photography 2015
Going Home Rally Rewind
Page 7
Photographs © Willow Lane Photography 2015
Going Home Rally Rewind
Page 8
Photographs © Willow Lane Photography 2015
Advocacy Opportunity
Be a Part of Advocacy in Action by attending your local Advisory Council Meeting
North Suburban
To Be Announced
Community Alternatives Unlimited
8765 W. Higgins Road
Chicago, IL
North Central
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
10am
Freedom Hall (Morton Park District building)
349 W. Birchwood
Morton, IL
Northwest
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
4.30pm
Milestone Training Center
4504 Shepherd Trail
Rockford, IL
City of Chicago
Tuesday, May 12, 1015
UIC’s Institute on Disabilities and Human Development (Auditorium)
1640 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL
Central Region
Thursday, May 14, 2015
12.30pm
Centrum Building
319 East Madison
Springfield, IL
Southern Region
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
10.30am
Bel-Air Bowl (downstairs meeting room)
200 South Belt West
Belleville, IL
South Suburban
Thursday, May 21, 2015
2pm
Suburban Access
900 Maplewood Avenue
Homewood, IL
Page 9