For the City-Times

More than 400 self-advocates, family members, and disability allies from across Wisconsin will participate in Disability Advocacy Day 2014 on Wednesday, Mar. 19 at the State Capitol in Madison.

Disability Advocacy Day connects disability advocates with their legislators to share personal stories about how public policy decisions impact people’s lives.  The event is sponsored by the Survival Coalition of more than 30 Wisconsin disability organizations.

Disability Advocacy Day participants will attend a briefing about current Wisconsin disability issues at 10:30 a.m. at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. Advocates will then march to the Capitol and meet with their legislators between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Nearly 85% of state legislators are scheduled to meet with constituents.

“Issues like education and employment have a particular impact on people with disabilities that policymakers are not always aware of” said Beth Swedeen, Survival Coalition Co-Chair. “When an individual living with disability explains how long-term care has allowed them to get and keep a job, or when a parent explains how special education funding allows their child to succeed,  policymakers remember those stories for a long time.” .

“People with disabilities and their families are passionate about improving the lives of people with disabilities in Wisconsin,” said Survival Co-Chair Maureen Ryan. “Many people who participate in Disability Advocacy Day for the first time not only develop a relationship with their legislator and gain confidence in themselves as advocates – they also go on to recruit other people to participate.”

Survival Co-Chair Kit Kerschensteiner said after their legislative visit, participants will debrief in rooms 330 SW and 425 SW of the Capitol and discuss next steps to stay in touch with their legislators. Advocates from every part of the state are scheduled to participate.

The Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations is a cross-disability coalition of more than 30 state and local organizations and groups. For more than 20 years, Survival has been focused on changing and improving policies and practices that support people with disabilities of all ages to be full participants in community life. The issue cards that will be distributed to participants the morning of the event are available.