If you read me, you know I promised to break down the new letter from Liberators4Justice asking all to sign a recommitment letter to the Independent Living Movement. I want to talk about the second part of the recommitment letter, Disability Leadership And Staffing.

The big bullets are:

• Civil Rights & Disability Justice
• Disability Leadership and Staffing
• Choice, Control & Community Supported Self-Determination
• Advocacy
• Deinstitutionalization
• Non-Conflicted Services
• Financial Equity and Integration
• Respect & Empathy

Let’s talk about the second bullet, Disability Leadership And Staffing

The letter says the following:

“DISABILITY LEADERSHIP AND STAFFING   Leadership for independent living and disability rights and justice must be vested in individuals with disabilities (not non-disabled family members, service providers, or other community-adjacent representatives). We commit to being disability-led and staffed. To this end:

• We commit to ensuring that a majority of our management identifies as having a disability
• If a majority of our management is non-disabled, we commit to having in place an employment plan that will bring our Center to majority-disabled status within a specified timeframe
• We commit to filling the executive director and board president positions with individuals who proudly identify as having a disability
• If our leadership positions are not filled by disabled individuals, we commit to having in place a succession plan that ensures within a specified timeframe that the executive director and board president are individuals who proudly identify as having a disability.”

Here, we are focusing on the fact that people with lived experience are the best messengers for equity. And when we people like us doing things, we know we can too. Not only do they come to the table with expertise, but quite frankly a vested interest in the success of the organization.

With some help from AI (thanks ChatGPT), here are some talking points that can make it easier to understand what this means to all of us.

Talking Points

• Representation and Empowerment: Disability leadership emphasizes the importance of having individuals with disabilities represented in decision-making positions within organizations. This applies to organizations and boards that support decisions making. We must ensure that the voices and perspectives of people with disabilities are heard and respected in shaping policies and programs that affect their lives.
• Role Modeling and Inspiration: Having people with disabilities in leadership roles serves as a powerful example to others with disabilities, demonstrating that they can achieve success and contribute meaningfully to society despite any challenges they may face. It inspires confidence and encourages self-advocacy among individuals with disabilities. The caution is that this is not about being inspired because the person lives with a disability and is successful. It is about others seeing themselves in a role.
• Expertise and Understanding: Individuals with disabilities bring unique insights and expertise to organizations that work on disability rights issues. They have firsthand experience navigating the challenges and barriers that people with disabilities encounter, which enables them to develop more effective strategies and solutions. Lived experience is a huge benefit to the bottom line.
• Challenging Stereotypes and Stigmas: Disability leadership helps challenge stereotypes and stigmas associated with disabilities by recognizing the diverse talents, skills, and capabilities of individuals with disabilities. It promotes a more inclusive and accepting society where people with disabilities are valued for their contributions.
• Creating Inclusive Work Environments: In addition to leadership positions, disability staffing involves hiring individuals with disabilities at all levels of an organization. This creates a more inclusive work environment where people with disabilities feel supported and empowered to succeed. It also helps break down barriers to employment and promotes diversity and equality in the workforce.
• Advancing Disability Rights: By promoting disability leadership and staffing, the independent living movement advances the broader goals of disability rights and social justice. It fosters a culture of inclusion and equality where people with disabilities are recognized as equal members of society with the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

We need to be more focused on collaboration and representation. There are so many organizations trying to support the rights of individuals with disabilities. This can cause duplication of efforts and even conflict of goals. Most importantly it can create competition for limited funding and human capital.

The letter to commit to standing behind and reigniting the Independent Living Movement is still taking sign-ons. You can find the full letter here and make the choice to sign on if you wish. Go to the letter and signature page of the IL Movement Recommitment Letter.

Want to talk about it? Reach out to The Information Tamer.