Hello World:
Well, I did it! I graduated from Partners In Policymaking! And it was no small feat either. For those of you who don't know what it is, PIP is an advocacy training program providing families and individuals the tools to effectively exercise their rights as citizens and cultivate a more inclusive society. It's an eight month long program and a huge commitment, so I want to thank everyone involved in making this happen.
I especially want to thank my daughter, Mia, who is the reason I was there in the first place.
Well, I did it! I graduated from Partners In Policymaking! And it was no small feat either. For those of you who don't know what it is, PIP is an advocacy training program providing families and individuals the tools to effectively exercise their rights as citizens and cultivate a more inclusive society. It's an eight month long program and a huge commitment, so I want to thank everyone involved in making this happen.
I especially want to thank my daughter, Mia, who is the reason I was there in the first place.
In fact, she's the cause
behind Helping Kids Together; it's not likely I would be doing any of this if
not for her and I would be missing out on a lot, too! She leads me with her
examples and I learn by doing; WE are helping kids together. She really is the
driving force. I just steer the buggy, and she can tell you first hand we have
ended up in the wrong direction on more than one occasion. But we always have a
good time, with plenty of stories to take home. She inspires me in so many
ways, and I am so proud to be her mom. By her very being, she is responsible
directly and indirectly for my contact with all the others mentioned in this
post.
Beginning with of
course, my dear Tom, a true original! I love Tom! He's one of the most worldly-wise
people I know and never at a loss for something positive to say. An incredibly
well read and diverse person, he blends in wherever he finds himself and knows
no strangers or foe. His colorful personality and views have added a richness
to my life. His laughter is contagious, and he keeps our household alive with
his offbeat antics and tales. He also keeps us on track with his daily rituals
and belief in the value of doing what has to be done and moving forward. As a
giving person, he's always willing to help, pitching in where he needs to and
ready at the wheel. Not to mention he goes along with all the wild adventures that
come our way, and if he doesn't want to go, he tells us to spread our wings and
fly. We do, too. Southwest mostly.
Then there's Brenda Jay, a close family friend who's always on standby waiting to find out what she can do to help. As a woman who wears many different hats, no job is too big or small for her to tackle. Whether it's being there for Mia or running errands to keep me on schedule, I honestly couldn't have done any of this without her assistance, so she deserves a lot of credit! As my trustworthy stand-in, she made it possible for me to participate in Partner's In Policymaking by helping Mia take care of herself while I was away from home for the classes. That was PRICELESS!!! It was no small coincidence, the very last presenter of PIP--in the very last hour mind you--showed a video of first-class, inclusive attitudes in action, taking place at one of the trendiest eateries in Ann Arbor, Michigan--which just so happens to be where Brenda's daughter lives. Naturally, a gift certificate was in order because Brenda makes frequent trips to Ann Arbor and LOVES to go out to eat so I know I'll get a first hand report of her dining experience! (If anybody is curious to know, it's called Zingermans's Deli and Bakehouse and is definitely a place to put on the radar when heading in that direction. They are famous for more good things besides food. www.zingermansdeli.com) Sounds like there could be a roadtrip in our future!!
I cannot forget Brandie Martine! Brandie's a friend of mine who is also a Partner's graduate and needs to be commended for doing exactly what one of the goals of the program is: To have graduates actively promote the program to other people who could benefit from the info. I met her last year when the two of us were invited to sit on a parent panel at Fontbonne University's Dedicated Semester forum The Disability Experience where she spoke so highly of her PIP training, stating it was a life-changing event for her. Afterwards, she sent me an email recommending I apply, and I'm thankful I did! Having been through the program, I can honestly attest she was dead on about it. I also need to thank Drs. Dennis Golden and Sarah Huisman from Fontbonne for being such advocates for disability awareness and for including me as part of the forum because meeting Brandie alone was a life-changing event. She's a dynamo of energy and I'm happy to know her and her crew. My family and I have made many great new friends through her acquaintance--a treasure worth its weight in gold!!
Hat's off, please, to Pam, Dawn, and the entire network of people behind the MO DD Council who pull Partners together. It's no small task to bring 40 something people cohesively together 8 months straight and keep them all happy. Granted they had help from the nice people at Hilton Garden Inn on Vandiver Drive in Columbia and also Doubletree in Jeff City, who kept us fed, watered and sleeping soundly on very comfy beds. We were never at a loss for something to eat or drink--that is for sure. As an added bonus, getting reimbursed by the State of Missouri for the travel expenses and child care I had to incur to participate proved to be a great savings tool toward the cost of a desperately needed new laptop. This was a huge help! Thank you, Governor Nixon for making this program available in our state!
A standing ovation goes out to the entire seasoned cast of local and national presenters who made up the Partner's lineup. They covered topics starting with the history of disabilities to education and employment. We talked about transportation and housing, planning for disasters, and planning for the future. We learned how to legislate and work together as a community to initiate positive change: All things that pertain to basic human rights; stuff EVERYONE needs to know. However, when you add disabilities into the picture, these issues take on a whole new depth of meaning because there is so much more to consider, and these "basic" human rights are sometimes overlooked or referred to as "options" by people who don't understand the myriad of challenges people with disabilities face. So then these rights have to be fought for. As ludicrous as that seems, it is true. I live it. Luckily, being a part of Partners in Policymaking has given me a toolbox of advocating skills to help change unenlightened thinking in ways that benefit all. The monthly presenters delivered the information from a practical and fact-based standpoint, they got the points across without being preachy. And it wasn't all non-stop lecture; we had plenty of video and team-based interaction to keep us all actively engaged. It was like going on a two-day field trip every month, and I am going to miss it.
Last but not least, I bow in humble gratitude to my classmates. They were the true instructors in the way of building social skills and acceptance because each and every person taught me something valuable to help me be a better person. Even though we were all Missourians, we were a very diverse cultural blend of people with and without disabilities. There were no real differences because culture clash subsides with familiarity. We hung out together and got to know each other during our Friday post-class happy hours. It was a lot of fun staying up late and talking about life. We may not have always agreed with one another, but we learned how to live with each other over the course of time as we realized we all had one thing in common: the desire to be treated with respect, honesty and consideration because we are all people first. What possibly started as self interest, undoubtedly evolved into shared enthusiasm and hope that each of us could do our part to change the world and make it a better place for EVERYBODY!!
Then there's Brenda Jay, a close family friend who's always on standby waiting to find out what she can do to help. As a woman who wears many different hats, no job is too big or small for her to tackle. Whether it's being there for Mia or running errands to keep me on schedule, I honestly couldn't have done any of this without her assistance, so she deserves a lot of credit! As my trustworthy stand-in, she made it possible for me to participate in Partner's In Policymaking by helping Mia take care of herself while I was away from home for the classes. That was PRICELESS!!! It was no small coincidence, the very last presenter of PIP--in the very last hour mind you--showed a video of first-class, inclusive attitudes in action, taking place at one of the trendiest eateries in Ann Arbor, Michigan--which just so happens to be where Brenda's daughter lives. Naturally, a gift certificate was in order because Brenda makes frequent trips to Ann Arbor and LOVES to go out to eat so I know I'll get a first hand report of her dining experience! (If anybody is curious to know, it's called Zingermans's Deli and Bakehouse and is definitely a place to put on the radar when heading in that direction. They are famous for more good things besides food. www.zingermansdeli.com) Sounds like there could be a roadtrip in our future!!
I cannot forget Brandie Martine! Brandie's a friend of mine who is also a Partner's graduate and needs to be commended for doing exactly what one of the goals of the program is: To have graduates actively promote the program to other people who could benefit from the info. I met her last year when the two of us were invited to sit on a parent panel at Fontbonne University's Dedicated Semester forum The Disability Experience where she spoke so highly of her PIP training, stating it was a life-changing event for her. Afterwards, she sent me an email recommending I apply, and I'm thankful I did! Having been through the program, I can honestly attest she was dead on about it. I also need to thank Drs. Dennis Golden and Sarah Huisman from Fontbonne for being such advocates for disability awareness and for including me as part of the forum because meeting Brandie alone was a life-changing event. She's a dynamo of energy and I'm happy to know her and her crew. My family and I have made many great new friends through her acquaintance--a treasure worth its weight in gold!!
Hat's off, please, to Pam, Dawn, and the entire network of people behind the MO DD Council who pull Partners together. It's no small task to bring 40 something people cohesively together 8 months straight and keep them all happy. Granted they had help from the nice people at Hilton Garden Inn on Vandiver Drive in Columbia and also Doubletree in Jeff City, who kept us fed, watered and sleeping soundly on very comfy beds. We were never at a loss for something to eat or drink--that is for sure. As an added bonus, getting reimbursed by the State of Missouri for the travel expenses and child care I had to incur to participate proved to be a great savings tool toward the cost of a desperately needed new laptop. This was a huge help! Thank you, Governor Nixon for making this program available in our state!
A standing ovation goes out to the entire seasoned cast of local and national presenters who made up the Partner's lineup. They covered topics starting with the history of disabilities to education and employment. We talked about transportation and housing, planning for disasters, and planning for the future. We learned how to legislate and work together as a community to initiate positive change: All things that pertain to basic human rights; stuff EVERYONE needs to know. However, when you add disabilities into the picture, these issues take on a whole new depth of meaning because there is so much more to consider, and these "basic" human rights are sometimes overlooked or referred to as "options" by people who don't understand the myriad of challenges people with disabilities face. So then these rights have to be fought for. As ludicrous as that seems, it is true. I live it. Luckily, being a part of Partners in Policymaking has given me a toolbox of advocating skills to help change unenlightened thinking in ways that benefit all. The monthly presenters delivered the information from a practical and fact-based standpoint, they got the points across without being preachy. And it wasn't all non-stop lecture; we had plenty of video and team-based interaction to keep us all actively engaged. It was like going on a two-day field trip every month, and I am going to miss it.
Last but not least, I bow in humble gratitude to my classmates. They were the true instructors in the way of building social skills and acceptance because each and every person taught me something valuable to help me be a better person. Even though we were all Missourians, we were a very diverse cultural blend of people with and without disabilities. There were no real differences because culture clash subsides with familiarity. We hung out together and got to know each other during our Friday post-class happy hours. It was a lot of fun staying up late and talking about life. We may not have always agreed with one another, but we learned how to live with each other over the course of time as we realized we all had one thing in common: the desire to be treated with respect, honesty and consideration because we are all people first. What possibly started as self interest, undoubtedly evolved into shared enthusiasm and hope that each of us could do our part to change the world and make it a better place for EVERYBODY!!
What it comes down to is
civility because let's face it, we're all different and the world doesn't
revolve around any one of us; it revolves with ALL of us. History
proves it only takes one person to make a difference and then it all snowballs
from there because change is a chain reaction. Spread the buzz!!
AB
PS
If any of you curious readers living in the Show Me state would like more info about Partners in Policymaking 2013 please contact Pam Byars at pbyars@moddcouncil.org or click the logo below to read more for yourself
PS
If any of you curious readers living in the Show Me state would like more info about Partners in Policymaking 2013 please contact Pam Byars at pbyars@moddcouncil.org or click the logo below to read more for yourself
And it
doesn't end here! On a national and
international level go to:
to find out how YOU can get involved to initiate change around the globe! Good luck!!
*****An ending note of appreciation goes out to my good friend Patrick Gallagher from Chicago who very graciously devoted his time and literary skills to edit this copy. Thanks Patrick! See how this global thing works!?!
