Advocacy
"Advocate" in American Sign Language
Legislative District Locator Illinois General Assembly
The Advocacy Path
Give the people you are advocating with the benefit of the doubt and start out expecting the best of them.
People all have different priorities. Family, career, health and so many more. We make decisions each day based on what is most important to us. For many of us an important priority is a need for accessibility or awareness because of disability, for others access has not entered their priorities - yet. If that person is the decision maker you are talking with you may need to do a lot of education in your advocacy. The decision maker may see that it is important; but they have not put it in their higher priorities. A life with little to no disability experience is not likely to be arranged with accessibility as a priority until the importance is obvious to that person. You, as a person with disability savy, see how important access and attitudes are… share that. Describe, in detail, why the access you need is important to your living independently and point out that so many people believe this is important that there are laws to insure it. Be aware of disability laws.
When we advocate we are working to put disability into someone else's priorities so that they will work to include accessibility in their business, building, school etc.
Don't stop with just your need, explain that others need this too. What you know as very basic information the decision maker may never have thought about. It's annoying to have to do this so often? Unfair? Yes, but .... we are not at the fair. Some individuals waste alot of time focusing on fairness and forget the goal of change. Advocate with wisdom. You may be surprised a little education is what it takes to change things. Other times you may find it is necessary to take another step in advocacy.
Document everything.
Know who you are speaking with, their title or role, write it down with the date and what the conversation consisted of. You are wise to have the history of your efforts recorded accurately. This could be very important information if you every have to file a formal complaint or take legal action.
Know your facts.
An advocate that knows their facts speaks with confidence. An advocate that bluffs looses their credibility. If you think the law supports what you need, then know how it does that. If you don't know something say so. Then work to find the information. If you want support from others, put the information together in written form and share it so everyone knows the facts.
Have at least one solution to suggest.
Be ready with solutions, people who don't know the importance of accessibility may not know how to provide it. They may reach out to you for a suggestion. Be ready, when they ask. At PACE we call that "strike when the iron is hot" that is the time decision makers are most receptive to your opinion.
If you are turned down, ask the reason why. It is best to get it in writing and if you are in a formal process it should be in writing.
It is less likely to be misunderstood in writing and you may need to show someone further along the advocacy path that it was turned down for that stated reason. Anyone who has advocated knows there are a lot of weak reasons not to do what is lawful. The reason you are given may not be a good one and a decision maker with more authority may be willing to see that.
Can you help think of a way hesitations or barriers can be dealt with effectively? It is fair to help think out the solution, just remember you aren't responsible for it, you are helping.
If your efforts don't solve the problem join with others who are effected and look over these options for future actions:
There are many actions advocates can choose from:
Publicly award or honor those who respond favorably to the need
Letter writing campaign
Contact legislators
Volunteer to help
Request participation in planning
Write a letter to the editor
Build a coalition
Express public support of an action
Rally
Watchdog the decision making process
File a formal complaint
Seek a mediator
Conduct a petition drive
Offer public education
Establish an alternative system
Gather more information
Seek enforcement of existing policies
Media expose
Boycott
Initiate legal action
Use your vote every election
When you are successful, stop and think, is this something that can be stated in policy so others will have something to go by in the future?
If the hospital doesn't realize it's duty to provide an interpreter and you educate them, ask for a policy to be clearly added to their policies and procedures.
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