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November 2015
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Dear Readers,
It has been a busy few months! We have had the MASS Conference, many self-advocacy trainings, and the first ever graduation from Independence College! November is promising to be an exciting month as well. Please read on to find more information about the important events and activities happening this month!
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Come and meet representatives from self-advocacy groups in your region, and help to make decisions about important regional issues and goals.
Central Region Meeting
Date: 2nd Tuesday of the month: November 10th
Time: 5-7pm
Location: Worcester Public Library: 3 Salem St, Worcester
Contact Person: Sue Moriarty: 508-209-7184
Metro Region Meeting
Date: 3rd Thursday of the month: November 19th
Time: 6-8pm
Location: Beaverbrook Step: 85 Main St, 2nd floor, Watertown
Contact Person: Rachel Hayward: 339-832-2922
Northeast Region Meeting
Date: 3rd Wednesday of the month: November 18th
Time: 6:30-8pm
Location: Merrimack Valley Area DDS Office: 280 Main St, 3rd flr.
Note: Members should park behind the building and enter through the middle door. There is an elevator and stairs
Contact Person: Bridget Crowley: 781-789-7274, [email protected]
West Region Meeting
Date:
1st Tuesday of the month: November 3rd
Time: 5:30-7:30pm
Location: BCArc Center for Development: 133 Quarry Hill Rd, Lee
Contact Person: Tyler Hadley: 413-536-2401 x3017
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Legislative Education Day
Date: November 18th, 2015
Note:
This event usually takes place on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. However, the date has been changed for November due to Veteran's Day
Time:
10
am
-1:30pm
Location: State House: 24 Beacon Street, Boston. If coming by The Ride, use the address of 122 Bowdoin St, Boston
. Meet at the benches on the 2nd floor near
the Grand Staircase
Contact Person: Marie D'Aoust: 617-624-7549
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Exciting New Movie in the Works!
MASS' very own Northeast board member, Donna Jay, is the subject of a proposed movie,
From Institution to Independence: The Donna Jay Story.
This movie will educate the general public about the history of people with disabilities in Massachusetts, and will be used by Donna in her advocacy workshops to help others learn how to be independent.
Donations can be made at the same site as well.
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Rainbow Corner
With another great MASS Conference behind us, RSG wants you to know what we are up to and
what is happening next.
RSG was out in flying colors at the MASS Conference! We raised funds with our ever popular
boas, light up fedora hats, and rainbow chains. People had fun showing their true colors!
Pauline is now on to making movies, starting with a training video about transgender issues.
What does transgender mean anyway? To Pauline, it is when your brain says one thing and
your body says another. She says, "My brain says I am female. More and more I am Pauline.
Paul is quiet. Pauline is outspoken. Paul says to let someone else do things. Pauline is
confident. She can speak in front of 500 people, she can climb Mt. Everest, no problem! Pauline
says, "When I come to a fork in the road, I think, do I turn left for Pauline or right for Paul? I
usually lean to the left, to Pauline, but sometimes I find myself in Paul's world. I have come a
long way on my adventure to becoming a woman. I look in the mirror and see the face of the
person I am becoming.
The scariest moment of my life was the year I went to the MASS conference all dressed up. Ed
said, "you wanna do it, do it!" Times when I went for it are key memories in my life.
I am patient. My life is unfolding every day, and I will be different next year than I am today. I
am amazed at what will come next! I know that somewhere in this world I am making a small
difference.
The RSG message is this: Everyone is different. You've gotta show your true self to the world.
Have fun and let your true colors shine through!"
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Self-Advocacy Highlights
MASS Conference
MASS' 18th annual conference,
Self-Determination: The Will to Achieve, was a tremendous success!
Almost 500 self-advocates, staff, supporters, and family members attended the conference, which was held in Marlborough on Saturday October 17th from 8am-4pm.
Conference participants attended workshops on self-determination and self-direction, poetry writing, starting your own business, how to use twitter, and exploring friendships and relationships, among other topics.
A wonderful keynote address was delivered by New York, self-advocate Michael Kennedy, on changing his life from living in an institution to making his own choices on how to use the services money from the state of New York. The Disability Law Center (DLC) received a Recognition Award from MASS for their work in protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. DLC Executive Director Chris Griffin and Representative Tom Sannicandro, spoke about the importance of voting and the upcoming 2016 elections. DDS Commissioner Elin Howe emphasized the importance of working together for self-determination, and praised the voices of MASS.
We also appreciate our partnership with Dan Shannon and the MA Developmental Disabilities Council, who assisted in selling our new t-shirts.
The day concluded with a DJ and dancing, as the conference-goers cut loose and had a great time!
Thank you to all the volunteers, self-advocates, sponsors, and staff who made this year's conference possible! A huge thank you to Marie D'Aoust, who worked tirelessly to make this year's conference a success!
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Independence College Graduation!
The first ever class of Independence College graduated on Thursday October 22nd
at the Massachusetts Developmental Disability Council (MDDC). Family, staff, and friends, along with the MDDC and MASS, celebrated the hard work and accomplishments of the graduates with dinner and a graduation ceremony.
Representative Tom Sannicandro, Chairman of the Massachusetts House Committee on Higher Education, was the Keynote Speaker. Representative Sannicandro spoke of equal education for all and the accomplishments of the graduates. Some of the graduates spoke to the crowd about their Independence College experience and what it meant to them.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of Graduate Certificates, and with closing remarks by Ed Bielecki of MASS. Mr. Bielecki congratulated the graduates, urging them to continue using their voices, and to keep being leaders who take action in their community and in the state.
Independence College is an education opportunity for people with disabilities, developed in partnership by the MDDC and MASS. It includes classes and a practicum, with the goal of teaching
skills to assist in pursuing independence.
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Project Vote Presentation
Last month, MASS held the Project Vote training for self-advocates at Delta Projects in Dedham.
Project Vote is a comprehensive training designed to teach self-advocates about the voting process. It includes topics such as how to register to vote and how to become an informed voter, as well as a discussion of the laws that protect the voting rights of people with disabilities, and how to overcome voting obstacles.
Please contact Rachel Hayward, if you are interested in learning more about Project Vote, or would like MASS to come and do this training for you. Rachel can be reached at [email protected] or at 339-832-2922.
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Self-Advocate Story of the Month!
Joe Canto: Self-Direction in Action
Joe Canto, is an employee of both DDS' Human
Rights department and of MASS'
Explore, Prepare, Act (EPA) training team. He has recently started self-directing his own services, and believes it is important to tell others why he made this choice, and how it has affected his life for the better.
You may recall from last month's newsletter that self-direction is, "
one way you can receive services from the Department of Developmental Services that gives you more freedom, authority, support and responsibility for hiring and directing the supports you want and need to have a great life
."
For years, Joe wanted to have more control of his life. He was unhappy with the way that money for his services was being used, and felt strongly that he should have a say in this matter. Joe knew it was time for a change. Because of the support and encouragement he received from staff and friends, including Joe Bockman, Northeast self-direction manager, Joe was able to start self-directing his services.
This has made a tremendous difference to Joe's everyday life. With the help of his support broker, Lisa Buccos, Joe is now the one in charge! He controls his budget, has his own checking account, orders his own medicine, and recently hired two new staff. These staff take Joe to his appointments and grocery shopping, help him with his computer, and are working with him towards his goal of writing a book. If Joe has a question or concern, he gets a very fast response from his support broker, unlike when he was with an agency, and would sometimes have to wait days before hearin
g back from anyone.
Joe believes that everyone should have choice and control over their lives, and intends to spread the word about self-determination and self-direction throughout the disability community. Above all else, Joe is a happier person now that he is self-directing his own services. He believes "what affects one self-advocate, affects the whole self-advocate population", and is recommending self-direction to everyone!
If you are interested in learning more about self-direction, please contact the DDS self-direction manager in your area. He/she can be contacted at:
- Metro Boston Area, Betsy Irwin, 617-363-2920
- Northeast Area, Terry O'Hare, 603-730-4011
- Central/West Area, Pamela Hickey, 413-205-0871
- Southeast Area, Ed Wilson, 508-771-2595
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Kamisha's Korner
Dealing with Bullying
Unfortunately, if you ask people with disabilities if they have ever been bullied, the answer you will hear from many of us is
yes! Given this reality,
I wanted to share one of my experiences with being bullied, and how I dealt with it.
I was in my junior year of high school when it all started. There was a new girl in my class and at first everyone tried to make her feel comfortable, until she started showing her true colors. She started being defensive and picking on me and my friends. We tried to defend ourselves, but every time we did she got worse. She called us every name in the book, and she would also make fun of our backgrounds. She thought she was better than everyone else, and that was the thing I found hardest about her.
Everyone thought she was doing it for attention, and I am sad to say it was true. I am also sad to say that she got a lot of emotions out of me, and got a lot of satisfaction from that. I can't believe I let her have complete control over me even for a brief moment. I never should have let it get to that point.
Even though my teachers and friends tried their best to stop the bullying, it didn't work. Whatever was said and done to the bully, went in one ear and out the other. One day I spoke to the person in charge of my unit and told him everything that was happening. From there he took over the situation, and eventually the bully left my school.
Bullying comes from all different places. The person who targeted me was also a person with a disability. However, I do not think I was targeted because of my disability. I think she was intimidated by me and my friends; she was the new girl and wanted to fit in, but didn't know how to go about it in the right way.
I hated this girl for what she did to me and my friends! From time to time I still see her, and to this day I still remember everything that happened like it was yesterday; all my anger comes rushing back.
Luckily I have a good system for dealing with these feelings:
1. Breathe in and out
2. Say my mantra
3. Meditate
4. Listen to music.
5. Write (Sometimes)
Despite my anger, I am glad the bullying happened. It made me stronger as a person. It made me realize who I am, and who I can be. This also made me realize people shouldn't be treated differently because of who they are!
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Contribute to the MASS Flash!
Want to submit a story, photograph, poem, or drawing to the
MASS Flash? Would you like us to mention an event or highlight your self-advocacy group? Please email
[email protected] or call 339-832-2922.
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