At My Choice Wisconsin, our staff regularly receives uplifting emails from our Member Advisory Committee. These feel-good messages make our week and we’re pleased they have agreed to include you in sharing their positive thoughts!

This year the Disability Advocacy Day of Action organized by the Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations will be virtually held on Zoom on Tuesday, March 23 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. We are proud that My Choice Wisconsin is a sponsor of this important event. We hope that many of you will consider participating this year.

Registration is required but there is no cost to participate. You can find details including registration information on these fliers: English  Spanish or sign up here. There is also a poster contest. Read more here: English  Spanish.

A few members of the Member Advisory Committee wanted to share their thoughts with you on why this advocacy is so important, why its important to encourage our members to participate, and why they choose to speak up and talk with their legislators about issues that are important to them:

• Patrick: “If you want to see change happen, you need to be the change you want to see in Wisconsin. I have been involved in advocacy that supports competitive and integrated employment for people with disabilities (CIE). You need to identify what’s important to you, make a plan and then take action to let legislators know.”
• Savanna: “It’s important to speak up and have your voice heard. It’s important that I tell legislators what I need and what I want. I also know that when I speak up that I am helping more than just myself – I am helping everyone with a disability in Wisconsin. It’s important to talk to everyone. I have a good working relationship with my state assembly representative, Robyn Vining, who is a Democrat but I also have a good relationship with my state senator, Dale Kooyenga, who is a Republican. The advocacy issues that I care about the most are voting, jobs for people with disabilities (CIE) and housing that is accessible and affordable. We can’t be heard if we don’t speak up.”
• Lynn: “The ideas of freedom and self-determination are very important to me. It’s important to me that legislators hear my voice. I want to speak up for myself. Right now the issue I care about most is accessible and affordable housing. You don’t need to know everything about the issue you care about. You just need to speak from your heart. You just need to share your story, your life experiences. Let the words come out – your words don’t have to be perfect, they just need to be honest and from your heart.”

You don’t need to be a person with a disability to participate in the Disability Advocacy Day of Action. You just need to care about making Wisconsin inclusive – a state that works for all its citizens. We hope you will consider participating. Wisconsin legislators need to hear these stories!