DCAD Report 2005
Report from Disability Capitol Action Day 2005
On May 24, 2005, nearly 2000 people from all disability groups, family members, and supporters united to fight back against California budget cuts and to protect our freedom and way of life.
The vision for Disability Capitol Action Day is that people of all disabilities come together on one day to fight not just for our own disability issue, but for each other. We were the disability voice of California coming together, celebrating our right to community living, uniting in our common cause, and celebrating our community of disability activists.
This year we joined forces with the Respectability Conference to link the day of action with a conference on advocacy training and long-term strategy for a disability rights agenda. The primary funding that supported Disability Capitol Action Day was from the Christopher Reeves Foundation.
The list of speakers, also given below, testifies to the breadth of disability perspective and the ability of leaders from so many places and organizations to come together and speak of our unity and our resolve.
Disability Issues Forum
At 10:00AM close to 1200 people gathered at the Sacramento Convention Center for the Disability Issues Forum to learn about the impact of the Governor's May budget proposals and key legislation on people with disabilities.
 Photo by Velma Pacrem
One page issue briefs were provided for participants on the following topics: California Budget Cuts, In Home Supportive Services, Social Security Income, and proposed legislation that would affect the Disability Communities.
Creating and accessible and inclusive event was a primary goal of the day. To achieve this we provided open captioning, American Sign Language Interpretation, Assistive Listening Devices, and language translation in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese and Russian. Materials were provided in Braille and large print.
An energetic array of speakers covered the major areas of budget and legislation affecting our community this year. Sergio Alunan, Executive Director of the Yolo County IHSS Public Authority, was the master of ceremonies. Other speakers included Brenda Premo, Chair of the Olmstead Advisory Committee, June Kailes from the Center for Disability 
Photo by Ann Guerra
Issues and Health Professions, Deborah Doctor of Protection and Advocacy, Cheryl Bergen, California Foundation for Independent Living, mom and daughter Audrey and Valerie DeChadenedes, from Support For Families of Children with Disabilities, Sally Zinman and Delphine Brody of the California Mental Health Client’s Network, Nancy Seyden Chair of Yolo County IHSS PA, and IHSS mom and daughter Kim and Kaytee Leslie.
The event ended with a statement of unity by representatives from the different disability communities: Francis Gracechild (physical disabilities), Dan Kysor (blind), Audrey and Val DeChadenedes (developmental disabilities), Stephanie Welch (mental health), Robert Roth (deaf).
Photo by Ann Guerra
 
March to Capitol
After the forum, at 11:30 AM, over nearly 1400 people marched from the convention center to the Capitol. The line of enthusiastic chanting marchers, with banners and signs, stretched all the way down 13th Street onto L Street to the West steps of the Capitol.
Photos by Terry Schmitt
 
Photo by Terry Schmitt
Photos by Terry Schmitt
 
Rally at Capitol
Marchers joined another few hundred people gathered at the capitol rally site. The rally allowed us to express outrage at the constant targeting of the disability community in the state budget process. This was the fourth year in a row that the lives and independence of people with disabilities have been on the table. Cuts in In-Home Supportive Services, Developmental Services, children’s mental health, SSI/SSP and Medi-Cal target people with disabilities of all ages and our ability to live a full life in our communities.
The stage was set in front of the West Steps and surrounded with hundreds of people who would be affected by the proposed cuts. Masters of Ceremonies Guy Leemhuis (PAI) and Marilyn Golden (DREDF) led a rousing event. Our invited lawmakers charged up the crowd with fiery speeches. These guestsincluded Senators Wes Chesbro, Richard Alarcon, Sheila Khuel, and Elaine Alquist, and Assemblymembers Paul Koretz, and Leeland Yee. Also speaking were Treasurer Phil Angelides.
After the elected officials spoke, Donald Roberts a developmental disabilities advocate lead the disability community speakers with a fiery call to arms, followed by long time disability advocate HolLynn D’Lil, mental health advocate Blanca DeLeon, IHSS consumer advocates Stormaliza Powmecwizalord and Albert Cheong.
The rally ended with a poem of empowerment by developmental disabilities advocate Patrick Thomas. Mental health advocate Nancy Thomas entertained the crowd with songs of resistance.
  
Photo by Terry Schmitt
The power of the rally spilled into the Capitol with small groups of people with disabilities visiting Legislators from their home districts, explaining through the example of their own lives how the budget proposals would affect thousands. Advocates spoke with legislators and staff to encourage them to hold strong on the budget against the cuts proposed by the Schwarzenegger Administration.
OUTCOME:
The budget was signed on July 11th 2005. Disability Capitol Action Day played a key role in sparing IHSS from any cuts; developmental services held steady, but we could not undo the cutbacks from prior years; the integrity of mental health for children in schools was preserved for another year; the major cuts to Medi-Cal were turned away; but the one cut proposal that affected all our disability groups was largely enacted. The state Cost of Living increase for SSI/SSP was eliminated for 2006 and 2007, and the federal increase would be delayed by three months each year.
The goal of Disability Capitol Action Day was to unite and push back the budget cuts and protect our freedom and way of life. Each year we grow stronger and more united, but there is a lot more to be done.
ORGANIZERS: Disability Action Coalition
- California Foundation for Independent Living Centers
- California Alliance for Inclusive Communities
- California Association of Public Authorities
- California Coalition for Mental Health
- California Network of Mental Health Clients
- Community Resources for Independent Living
- Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
- Independent Living Resource Center of San Francisco
- Independent Living Services for Northern California
- Protection & Advocacy Inc.
- Resources for Independent Living
- Service Employees International Union
- Yolo County IHSS Public Authority
Organizations providing funding for this event were:
- Major Sponsor: Christopher Reeves Foundation
- California Endowment (Forum)
- California Coalition for Mental Health
- California Foundation for Independent Living Centers
- California Network of Mental Health Clients
- Protection and Advocacy, Inc.
- Service Employees International Union Developmental, Mental health, and homecare Campaigns
- San Francisco Public Authority
We raised nearly $30,000 to support Disability Capitol Action Day! We were able to assist almost 20 community organizations to mobilize community members by providing close to $7000 in travel assistance for those people who otherwise be unable to attend.
Supporting Organizations included:
- AT Network
- California Association of Family Empowerment Centers
- California Association of Public Authorities
- California Council of the Blind
- California Endowment
- Californians for Disability Rights
- California Rehabilitation Association
- Coalition of Californians for Olmstead
- Disability Rights Advocates
- Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
- NorCal Center on Deafness
- Quality Home Care Coalition
- Wheelchair Center, Sacramento
The initial funding that the Christopher Reeves Foundation allowed organizers to gain early interest and momentum in Disability Capitol Action Day. We were able to raise and additional funding for the event, from coalition partners and supporters so that our full budget was nearly $25,000.
This funding allowed us to create a truly inclusive event, by supporting disability and language access. Over 100 people took advantage of translation and interpretation provided.
Although our goal was bring 3000 people with disabilities, their families and supporters together, we fell short of our projection. Our goal of 3000 people was based on the attendance of our 2004 Disability Capitol Action Day. In 2004, we had strong mobilization support from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)—they worked to get over 1000 home care workers to the capitol.
In 2005, SEIU supported Disability Capitol Action in financially, but was unable to mobilize homecare workers due to a southern California event they were holding on the same day.
The good news…our event was truly a DISABILITY event. The people who came to the capitol on May 24th were people with disabilities, their families and friends. Although there were fewer people overall, it felt like there were more us!
As George Sharp from the Modesto based Disability Resource Agency for Independent Living put it:
“Disability Capitol Action Day was great this year, you could really see that we had thousands of people with disabilities here, and it was ALL about us.”
Ana Acton from the FREED Center for Independent Living in Grass Valley said:
“I planned for 2 months before Capitol Action Day to organize people to come, we got a travel grant and we were able to rent a van and all come down together, but the best part was we talked to our legislators, we had appointments and we went in together…”
The most significant success of Disability Capitol Action Day is in getting the diversity of California’s Disability Communities together to fight budget cuts that affect ALL of us. The Legislative visits that were made on the day proved to California legislators that the Disability Community is powerful.
Our day played a key role in preventing cuts to In Home Supportive Services and Developmental Services, and saving the integrity of mental health for children in schools, and preventing major cuts to Medi-Cal!
The California Legislature is learning the Disability Community Rally Call:
NOTHING ABOUT US
WITHOUT US!
© Copyright 2005, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers
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