|
Do learning disabilities (LD) affect your life? Whether you are a parent of a child with LD, an adult with LD, an educator or an LD professional, there's a place for you in the world of LD advocacy. There are many aspects to advocacy which you can learn about in this guide and they are intended to get lawmakers and the general public to respect and protect the rights of individuals with LD.
Advocacy can be hard, fun, exhilarating and sometimes frustrating, but it is always critical to improving the lives of people with LD. So let's get started.
Being an advocate does not mean you have to quit your job, write big checks or rush to Washington D.C. It also doesn't mean you have to know everything there is to know about learning disabilities or every law ever written on the subject.
Being an advocate does mean using your voice to make a difference for children and adults with LD in this country. Sure, there are professional lobbyists sitting down with legislators trying to make changes to the law, but they're not you. They can't talk about your experiences, and they may not be advocating for the same reasons you are.
Individuals with learning disabilities are entitled to rights and services. It seems simple, but as you know, it can get complicated, and often people with other agendas are pushing lawmakers to make decisions that may not take the LD community into proper consideration. That's where you come in. Your voice is critical--it's the foundation of democracy. You can (and should) tell your elected officials how to vote for laws, budgets and policies that work.
You could just get informed and deal with whatever the laws are, your tax dollars will get allocated, laws affecting children and adults with LD will change. But if you want the problems to be fixed and the wrongs to be righted, you're going to have to get involved. Becoming an LD advocate is not a new job or a special title saved for the chosen few; it's a mindset. It's a role parents have been stepping into for years. You can make a difference on the large scale -- not just for your child, but for all children with LD.
Whether you have five minutes per week or a lot of time to spare, these tips will get you started on the road to advocacy:
1. Become familiar with the state and federal laws that pertain to learning disabilities. There is no need to go to law school; information is available through your local Parent Training and Information Center. To get started, also check the "Talking about LD" section of this guide. 2. Get on the mailing list of advocacy organizations. NCLD's own Legislative Update is a great way to become familiar with what Washington is doing about learning disabilities. Sign up now. 3. Call your legislators. Politicians are people with their own experiences. If LD is not a part of their lives, they can't possibly understand the implications of their votes the way you do. Your federal representatives' phone numbers are listed in the blue section of your phone book, or you can find contact information here. You don't need a bill number, nor do you need to be connected to a big organization. They want to hear from you; they have a staff for just that purpose. And if there is a bill, they'd rather receive your call before a big vote than get an angry call afterwards. More tips on working with policymakers are presented later in this guide. 4. Write a letter to a policymaker. Just like phone calls, your elected officials welcome hearing from you. Tell them how a particular piece of legislation will affect you and others who are affected by learning disabilities. Stories from their constituents are always helpful to policymakers. In return, you can usually expect to get a letter of reply explaining the issue more fully and what they intend to do about it. 5. Talk about what you know. Talk to family, friends, even people you meet randomly about your LD concerns and what can be done about it. If you happen to meet someone running for office, ask him or her about what he or she intends to do for learning disabilities, and say what you think. 6. Go public. Call a radio station, or write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Explain why learning disabilities legislation is an important issue and how things can be changed for the better. Put up signs, and call a meeting in your neighborhood to discuss learning disabilities policies. As an advocate you don't have to go it alone. To the contrary, you should try to get as many people excited and active about learning disabilities as possible. 7. Vote. It seems basic, but it is vital that you exercise this right. You can even go one step further by helping candidates who support learning disabilities issues with their campaigns. The knowledge you have can help a candidate clarify his or her position on an issue that is important to so many people.
Next in the LD Advocate's Guide: Talking About LD
|
Advocacy Center 
