Posts

The Arc logo

“I Wanted to Make a Difference in the Community”

/in /by The Arc

By William Monaghan, Guest Blogger

In celebration of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, The Arc is encouraging individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to “Empower Yourself, Empower Someone Else.” Today, The Arc offers you an article from William Monaghan, the President of the Delaware chapter of People First and an individual with IDD. Read on to find out more about William’s life and the steps he has taken to be his own best advocate.

This column first appeared in the Spring 2013 issue of Apostrophe Magazine to which Mr. Monaghan is a contributor. Apostrophe Magazine is a publication created for, about and by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. You can subscribe to Apostrophe Magazine to read more interesting perspectives from people with IDD as well as columns from The Arc’s national office covering a variety of issues. And you can find out more information about how The Arc helps support people with IDD who are interested in self-advocacy on our website.

I am the president of Delaware People First in Wilmington. I was born in Wilmington and have lived here most of my adult life. A good thing about Delaware is that it’s near big cities like Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

My mother and father were wonderful role models and gave me the opportunity to expand my horizons by sending me to the Riverview School in Cape Cod, Mass., where I was taught many skills that I feel helped me in my success in my adult years. I graduated from Riverview in 1974 and then attended Brandywine High School and McKean High School in Wilmington.

My mother and father were instrumental in helping me to achieve my goals. My mother’s name is T.J., and my father’s name was William Monaghan Sr. My father is deceased. I also have a sister, Andrea, and they all live in South Carolina. My wife, Barb, and I visit them when we have vacation and on holidays, and we also talk to them on the telephone.

I work for the Dupont Co. in Wilmington and have been employed there for 35 years, which I am extremely proud of. The job has taught me many things, including how to communicate with people and how to manage my time. I work in the clerical/printing department, and I really love my job. I do a lot of different things in my job, which keeps it interesting and challenging.

I joined Delaware People First in 2003, and from the very beginning, I wanted to become an officer. I felt like I could do a good job being a leader and guiding the group. I also wanted to make a difference in the community and was interested in self-advocacy and self-determination. There are 40-50 members in Delaware People First, and we also have a group in downstate Delaware with about 10 members. We meet once a month and have discussions about issues that affect the group, and we bring in guest speakers to talk about issues such as employment, transportation, self advocacy, emergency preparedness (Gary Mears from the University of Delaware has been working with us) and many other topics. We also have gone on many trips to New York, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, and trips to the Delaware beaches. Delaware People First has allowed me to make new friendships, to help other people with disabilities speak up for themselves and to become stronger advocates. It has also helped me with public speaking where I feel comfortable talking in front of groups and other people. Delaware People First treats people like adults as we should be treated. That is my favorite thing about the group.

The advisers for Delaware People First are Debbie A. Nock, who has been an adviser for 16 years (an “old-timer” in her words) and Susannah Eaton Ryan, who has been an adviser for seven months. The important issues we are working on now include emergency preparedness, self-advocacy and self-determination. We are also planning a statewide advocacy conference in March 2013. We are working with many other groups in Delaware to prepare for the conference and hope to have more than 100 people participate. Delaware People First has many fund-raisers each year. We raise money by having fashion shows, hotdog and bake sales, car washes, selling tickets for Friends Helping Friends Day at Boscov Department Store, gift wrapping at Christmas for family and friends and participating in restaurant fund-raisers such as Friendly’s, Chick fil-A and many others.

My favorite things to do are going out with friends, going out to dinner, taking trips, bowling, playing golf, Special Olympics and spending time with my beautiful wife, Barb. My favorite TV show is “Two and a Half Men,” and my favorite food is Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes (I also have a few others of course).

My best qualities are being outgoing, friendly, courteous, trustworthy, loyal, cheerful and dedicated to people and causes. As other people have stated, I am a Boy Scout.

The Arc logo

Meet Teddy: Self-Advocate, Entrepreneur, and Inspiration

/in /by Guest Blogger

By: Annette Downey, Director of Community Living Services of Oakland County in Ferndale, Michigan

Teddy Fitzmaurice is a 28 year old energetic entrepreneur with Down syndrome who promotes human rights and disability advocacy. Teddy lives in his own apartment and loves to play his music loud and watch TV whenever he wants. He enjoys taking care of his bunnies, Chloe and Amy, walking, running, biking, swimming, and hanging out with his many friends.

Teddy began his own business, Teddy’s Ts, in 2006. He sells T-shirts that come in many sizes, along with a multitude of buttons. Teddy has taken his business around the country including Washington DC, Chicago, New York, San Juan, St. Louis, and Columbus just to name a few of his stops. He also displays his shirts in several stores.

The logos displayed on Teddy’s t-shirts and buttons promote improved quality of life, social justice, and equality for all. Teddy promotes community living, self-determination, inclusive education, and people first language. His merchandise proudly displays messages such as “Label Jars, NOT People”, “Shred the word – R E T A R D E D” and “Disabled, Sexy, and Proud!”. Teddy uses a variety of creative methods to share his vision and passion for advocacy.

Always the happy salesman, Teddy is eager to attend every conference he can to sell his shirts. Teddy’s products are creative and inspirational, and they promote disability rights and social justice.

The Arc logo

Why I Got Involved With The Arc’s National Council of Self-Advocates

/in /by Guest Blogger

By Kevin Smith, one of the founding members of The Arc’s National Council of Self-Advocates

I got involved in the self-advocacy movement because it promoted things that I believed in, both as a person with a disability and as just a person. When I got involved in self-advocacy in the early ’90s, people with disabilities were segregated from the rest of the community. We were categorized as poor, pitiful, and helpless.

I wanted to join The Arc’s National Council of Self-Advocates because this movement has had a huge impact on my life and I want to share it with as many people as possible. I hope this Council accomplishes two things: To tell people that they have the right to be included in their community and not be shut behind closed doors. The second would be that together, as a national group, the government will hear our needs and make a difference in someone’s life. I want to leave people with disabilities in better shape than when I started.

About The Arc’s National Council of Self-Advocates

The NCSA was developed to foster the active involvement of individuals with IDD in the work of The Arc. Its primary purpose is to empower persons with IDD to voice their opinions about what is important to them and to ensure that they are afforded the same opportunities as everyone else to have a meaningful life in the community. In joining the Council, members will be able to network with others who are involved in advocacy work, educate the public about the issues that are important to people with IDD, and become active leaders in their communities.

The Arc logo

The Arc Announces the National Council of Self Advocates

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – Today, The Arc is officially launching the National Council of Self Advocates of The Arc (NCSA), and inviting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across the country to join. The first national council of its kind, the NCSA will allow individuals with IDD to join a network of leaders representing the full spectrum of ages and abilities across The Arc’s national chapter network. While promoting the active involvement of individuals with IDD in the work of The Arc, this Council will give self-advocates the chance to support each other and provide learning opportunities as they grow as advocates in their community.

“This Council allows self-advocates to share their unique perspective and truly make an impact in their communities. While we work nationally on behalf of people with IDD and their families, nothing is quite as powerful as hearing directly from self-advocates about what is important to them. They can be our movement’s strongest messengers, and this council will harness that power,” said Peter V. Berns, Chief Executive Officer of The Arc.

The NCSA was developed to foster the active involvement of individuals with IDD in the work of The Arc. Its primary purpose is to empower persons with IDD to voice their opinions about what is important to them and to ensure that they are afforded the same opportunities as everyone else to have a meaningful life in the community. In joining the Council, members will be able to network with others who are involved in advocacy work, educate the public about the issues that are important to people with IDD, and become active leaders in their communities. In addition, the Council will also be promoting leadership roles for individuals with IDD in local chapters of The Arc and supporting The Arc’s commitment to employing individuals with IDD. Learn more about the focus areas of the Council and how to join.

The NCSA is being co-convened by Barbara Coppens, Joe Meadours, and Kurt Rutzen who are all members of The Arc’s National Board of Directors. They each have a deep personal interest in this Council and are looking forward to creating a strong network of self-advocates across the country.

“I am working to educate self-advocates like myself, siblings, and family members to be more involved in advocating for our rights,” said Barbara Coppens, who has a long history of fighting for people with IDD in New Jersey. She works tirelessly, educating legislators in New Jersey about why it is so important to remove the “r-word” from state statutes and writing articles on self-advocacy to inspire others like her to join in the movement.

“This is an opportunity for us to voice our opinions and show what self-advocates across the country care about,” Joe Meadours said. “If we don’t have the proper services we won’t have a quality life.” Joe has been an advocate for many years and wants to use his story to encourage individuals with IDD to be advocates for themselves and others. He has worked in five states supporting the self advocacy movement; most recently he served as Executive Director for People First of California.

“I believe that The Arc’s National Council of Self Advocates gives the opportunity for people with disabilities to really say what they feel and to get their voices out there in a way they haven’t before,” said Kurt Rutzen, who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota and works for the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration. Kurt began his career by conducting interviews for Quality Assurance Region 10, an organization that creates and implements person-centered interviews that enhance the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities in Minnesota. Through this job, he was introduced to The Arc of Southeast Minnesota.

The Arc logo

Meet Sam Jenkins

/in /by Shelly DeButts

Usually, you’ll find The Arc, the nation’s leading and largest organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities lending a helping hand. But in this case, it’s Sam Jenkins who lends a hand as a motivational speaker for The Arc’s New Jersey chapter leading people with disabilities like himself to become their own advocates. Watch Sam lead a group of eager self-advocates in discovering their inner strengths and speaking up for themselves.