Partners in Policymaking is a leadership training course for parents of children with disabilities and self-advocates. The training occurs once a month over several months with a range of learning opportunities and nationally known speakers. You may apply for the class of 2010 now and the application can be found at the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities website at
www.ocdd.org. The deadline for applying is October 12. The following is an excerpt from my speech to the graduating class of 2008.
I applied to Partners in Policymaking knowing very little about what to expect. I had heard adjectives such as enlightening, powerful, exhausting, and life changing from past graduates.
When I arrived for the first session I was overwhelmed personally with the rigors of my work; I felt as if there was no way I could cram one more thing into my schedule already bursting with responsibilities as a parent, advocate, and behavior consultant.
When we all filed in for our very first day we were greeted with the enthusiasm and excitement of our trainers, Roberta Dunn, Yoshi Kardell, and Kathryn Weit. I appreciated how eager they were to fill our heads with information. Roberta referred to herself as our “big sister” who just could not wait for us to experience all that partners in policymaking had to offer. Kathryn’s passion for transforming us into advocates was apparent.
We had sessions that thrilled and inspired such as Richard Villa helping us understand that inclusion in schools is just common sense. We had sessions that made us uncomfortable about what this path of advocacy might entail. Session one with Kathie Snow on the history of developmental disabilities as well as the history of the parents and self-advocates movement was the most life-changing for me.
I am a firm believer that if you forget about history you are doomed to repeat it. As we watched the videos of infants and toddlers in Salem’s Fairview Training Center being tied into high chairs at meal times and as we passed around the room a written record of individuals in Oregon that were sterilized without their consent every eye in the room began to well and some poured with tears. I said to myself never again on my watch will sons, daughters, cousins, citizens of this nation ever be told, coerced, or forced into a life of segregation.
I plan to keep that promise, earn social capital, build my network and spread the common sense that disability is a natural part of the human experience all over this state and nation. I plan to smile as I tell educators that they are dead wrong about what my kid is capable of. I will continue to smile as they thank me later for the opportunity to teach my child. I plan to stand for the education of all children so they become a valued commodity that we cherish over industry and wealth. I learned all this from my experience with Partners in Policymaking.
My personal turning point in the entire experience was when our homework assignment was to write and present a mock testimony at the capitol in front of our peers and an appointed committee of stand in legislators. I was scared to death. I contemplated calling in sick. I said things to other partners such as, “My path isn’t to be someone that testifies at committees.” Partners pushed me out of my comfort zone and I learned that day my path is to be someone that testifies. Only 2 days later I was emailing my state representative and senator. 3 days later I was standing in front of a workgroup delivering my testimony on the isolation in the community of families that parent children with autism. Later I testified at the PPS school board on keeping children in their neighborhood schools in accessible buildings. This may have never happened without partners.
I truly believe our children will inspire other children and we will rid this world of the stigma that having a disability means that something is wrong. Our friends and family members will be able to live in our homes or homes of their own and not be forced to live in institutions so they can have health care and services. Thanks to my experience in Partners in Policymaking I have the relevant skills and knowledge to be a part of meaningful systems change for people with disabilities and their families.
-Stephanie Hunter
Stephanie Hunter is a parent of a 1st grader at Ockley Green and a Behavior Consultant for Oregon Technical Assistance Corportation www.otac.org. She graduated from the 2008 class of Partners in Policymaking and is active in Portland Public Schools serving as a member of the Superintendent's Advisory Committee on Enrollment and Transfer and the PPS Parent Union as well as SEPTAP and FACT.
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