What is Self-Advocacy?

Self-advocacy is about independent groups of people with disabilities working together for justice by helping each other take charge of their lives and fight discrimination (Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered). Self-advocacy refers to individuals advocating for themselves versus having someone else speak for them; and in the larger context describes a grassroots civil rights movement where individuals participate on their own and within self-advocate run organizations or associations in a variety of activities designed to influence public policy and practice as it relates to equal opportunity. There are three principles which guide self advocacy groups. These include:

• Self-advocacy groups are run by people with disabilities. Group leaders and members are people with disabilities. The leaders are selected by group members, not by advisors or service providers.
• Self-advocacy groups are independent of service provider agencies; however, service provider organizations may provide material support to the group but not have any say over the group’s activities and decisions. Self-advocacy groups will typically meet at locations that are not owned or operated by provider organizations.
• Advisors will be selected by the group members and will support, teach when needed, and advise the group, but will not control or lead the group in any way.

People involved in the self-advocacy movement help each other to advocate for things like power-sharing and system change. As a movement, we work on broad goals, like closing all the institutions in the country, but we don't forget the individual person with a disability who has problems in his or her own life. We support each other as much as we can, and because of this we have learned many lessons about listening and speaking up. (Kennedy, M.,1996).

Self-advocacy means people with developmental disabilities speaking up and speaking out for their rights. For people who can't speak, it may mean having someone interpret what you want to say. People with developmental disabilities should have the right to speak up and teach other people about their rights. We won't always have someone to look out for us.
People need to listen to what we want even though they might not want to. Speaking out can be taking a risk. Sometimes you're afraid a staff person might say no. (Kennedy, M. & Killius, P., 1986)

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