Uncategorized - Self-Advocate Central

The Latest from Seen and Heard: IDD Community

Happy New Year. We had a fabulous year. In December, we posted three videos, and we shared some great resources.

We shared:

Finding Out about False Friends with Lisa and Shaun

Lisa and Shaun shared about how it feels to have false friends.
They talked about how to have trust after false friends.

Signs of a False Friend with Lisa and Shaun

Lisa and Shaun talked about false friends.
They shared signs on how to recognize a false friend.

We shared amazing resources from Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong (MASS) and Mighty Girls. We also celebrated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great videos! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

#IDPwD #ConsentEverytime #WhoToTrust #IDD #txcdd

The Latest from Seen and Heard: IDD Community

November has been a great month. We posted one video and our first video with a Spanish translation. We also shared some great resources.

We shared:

False Friends by Mary

Mary shared about false friends.
She told about how she found out they were false friends.

We also shared our first video with Spanish subtitles. We look forward to sharing more translated videos soon!

We talked about how the holidays can be stressful for survivors of sexual assault. We have shared a series of tips for survivors. You can see all these tips on our social media pages.

We shared many, many more amazing resources. Please visit our social media pages to learn more.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great videos! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

#FalseFriends #Trust #NowInSpanish #IDD #txcdd

Get Your Free Learning Game!

Our team created a game to help self-advocates learn about getting paid for their work. The game is called “Know Your Worth.” The game is fun, fast, and works for up to five players. It’s easy to learn and you can play it over and over.

Head over to the Our Resources page to download the game.

Share this message with your friends and colleagues. Tell them to sign up for our mailing list to get more free resources like this.

The Latest from Seen and Heard: IDD Community

We are having an AMAZING and very busy month! We shared two videos and some great resources. We also shared about James Meadours’ amazing journey to meet the President!

White man with sunglasses shaking hands with President of the United States Joe Biden.

James was invited to the White House to celebrate the work of advocates. They have worked hard to advance the rights of people with disabilities in the U.S.

We shared these incredible videos:

Having the Same Goals

Brandy talked about the importance of having the same relationship goals.
She shared about how religion can change the way you feel about relationships.

Learning About Relationships

James and Brandy talk about healthy relationships.
They share what they wish they were told about relationships when they were young.

We shared info about the R3 app. It is designed to help people with IDD recognize, report, and respond to abuse. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/about-r3

We shared many, many more amazing resources. Please visit our social media pages to learn more.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great videos! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

#SelfAdvocates #txcdd #Romance #Friendship #IDD

The Latest from Seen and Heard: IDD Community

We had a great month. We shared two videos and some great resources.

We shared these incredible videos:

Finding Romance

Brandy talked about relationships.
She shared about confusing friendship and romantic feelings.

Close Friendships

Brandy talks about friendships.
She talks about the grief of losing a friend.

We also shared some great resources about consent from the World Sexual Health Day. https://worldsexualhealthday.org/resources/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great videos! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

#SelfAdvocates #txcdd #Romance #Friendship #IDD

The Latest from Seen and Heard: IDD Community

We are ending the summer with some great work . We posted 1 video, introduced another member of our Advisory Team and shared some fun from a conference.

We shared this great video:

Friendship and Safety

Paz talked about how finding support makes you feel safe.
They discuss the people who support them.

We introduced another member of our Advisory team, Kelsey Cowley. Cindy and James presented at the National Adult Protective Services Association Conference. They also got to see their two favorite baseball teams play against each other.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great videos! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

#SelfAdvocates #txcdd #Safety #IDD #Baseball

Learn with us at NAPSA in Boston!

James Meadours and Cynthia Burrow will present at the National Adult Protective Services Association annual convention this week. Their session is about making sure self-advocates have a place at the table for projects about their lives. They will share ideas and tools to make that easier to do. Join us:

Wednesday, 8/28/23
1:15 – 2:15 PM
Level 3, Abstract Room

Success at the Texas Advocates Conference!

Team members taught self-advocates from across Texas about getting paid to work on projects. Over 25 people played a game we created called “Know Your Worth!” This fun and fast game teaches that people’s work is valuable. They should be paid for it. But it’s important to be careful if you get benefits like SSI and SSDI.

People with all abilities joined in. Some used their hands to slap card matches. Some used their voices to shout out key words. By the end, everyone was a winner and took home a prize. They also took home new knowledge about working on projects for pay.

People had so much fun, they asked for copies of the game. Stay tuned and tell your friends and colleagues to sign up for our mailing list. We will share it there for free in the next couple of months!

The Latest from Seen and Heard: IDD Community

We are having a very busy summer. We posted 2 videos and introduced more of our Advisory Team.

A drawing of a young person illustrated by the self-advocate.

Myths about Gender Identity

Paz talks about gender identity.
They discuss myths about people with IDD and gender identity.

Understanding Gender Identity

Paz talks about being misgendered.
They talk about how art can help to explore gender identity.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great videos! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

#SelfAdvocates #txcdd #Safety #IDD #Neurodiversity

Connect with Us in Texas!

The Participatory Action Research Team is heading to Denton. We will be presenting at the Texas Advocates Conference Saturday, 7/29.

We will host a card tournament with lots of prizes. Players will also learn about working on projects for pay. They’ll learn:

People with IDD should work on projects about their lives.
Their lived experience has great value.
They should be paid for their work.
They can be careful about working while receiving benefits.

To learn more about the conference, check out the Texas Advocates website. Come by our exhibit table. Come to our presentation. Or catch us in between!