2023 Self Advocates Conference

2023 Self Advocates Conference – We fall, fight, and rise as one across Arizona

Keynote Speaker: Panel Discussion with self advocates from around the country: What are self advocacy groups doing in other states?

BRITTANEY CHIPLEY and Jason Snead   Moderator Jason Snead

AZ ABLE Accounts: Protect Your Benefits and Build Financial Security! Millions of individuals with disabilities and their families depend on a wide variety of public benefits for income, health care, food and housing assistance. Unfortunately, these individuals are ineligible for benefits if they have more than $2,000 cash savings and retirement funds. However, opening an AZ ABLE account will not only protect benefits, but also build savings and financial security!

 

Anne Ireland   Moderator George Garcia

Create Through My Life   Hi my name is Anne Ireland.  I am a Partner to Keith, a Mother, a Homemaker, and a Business Woman.  I have Cerebral Palsy.  My presentation(s) is about how I see my life vs. how others see how my life should be and having Roles in my lives.  Having roles in our lives are very important to ourselves and the people around us. I create through a platform by educating advocating for yourself, self determination, managing my own plan, through individualized making plan, turning my unacceptable situations into a business and a life for my partner, myself, and our family.

Ryan Barry, Paul Bennewitz   Moderator Ryan Barry

Getting Started with Legislative Advocacy   A presentation on advanced advocacy and how to get involved at the Arizona state legislature.

Leigh Ann Davis, James Meadours,  Juliana  Huereña   Moderator Juliana  Huereña

We Fall, Fight, Rise as One to Address Sexual Violence   This session will help people with IDD know how to advocate about sexual violence issues. We will talk about the Arizona Network on Disability and Sexual Violence, how The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability got involved and our roles in this exciting Network. Panel members will talk about the power of self-advocacy, how it helps people to advocate for themselves in relationships and in supporting sexual assault prevention. Another panelist will talk about her role on the Network and why she thinks this work is important in Arizona. She will talk about cultural issues and barriers people with IDD from Hispanic communities can face when trying to talk about this issue. We will end the session by inviting the audience to get involved with the Network and give them ideas on how to do this. Join us in the movement to stop sexual abuse and violence!

Ivan L. Rivera   Moderator Jason Snead

Pathways to Further Education, Employment, and Independent Living through Benefits Management   Individuals with disabilities struggle with the thought of returning to work. Many individuals do not realize that benefits do not end; actually, they just shift. There are numerous work incentives that assist individuals to achieve financial wellness and independent living. Pathways to Further Education Employment and Independent Living through Benefits Management illustrates discusses some of the untapped resources that can support your decision to take that first step. It will include much needed information regarding Social Security rules, Social Security benefits, healthcare, and employment.

Renaldo Fowler and Bill Lucero   Moderator Juliana Huereña

101: Learning about Your Voting Rights   Voting is important to everyone, learn about the voting process in Arizona.  How do you ask for accommodations?  Who do you call if you have problems voting?  Attend this session to be an informed voter. Presenters will share voting information in an interactive way. Clue: What is voting?

Calvin Cook, George Garcia, David Carey, Jay Dashefsky   Moderator George Garcia

Volunteer to work   This presentation is about using volunteer opportunities to ultimately find employment.  People with disabilities have a high level of unemployment.  Volunteering or participating in nonpaying activities is a great way of finding opportunities that may lead to employment.  In this presentation, we will have panelist who used volunteer opportunities to find employment.  Learn more about what worked and didn’t work in their process.

George Garcia, Juliana Huereña   Moderator George Garcia

Supported Decision-Making supported decision-making is a less restrictive alternative to legal guardianship.  In this presentation we are going to talk about the differences between guardianship and supported decision-making.  We are also going to talk about everything you will need to create a successful supported decision-making plan and agreement.

Arizona self advocacy group presentations. Learn about the various self advocacy groups in Arizona. Find out who they are, what they do, and how you can get involved.