The Most Powerful Advocacy Tool

There are several tools that, as advocates and activists, we use to be effective in our work. Most of us tend to use what I refer to as the “nice” tools –- letter writing, meetings, action alerts and –- quite often –- policymaking, which is crafting public policy or legislation to address or resolve an issue.In fact, in the disability advocacy world, policymaking is a favorite tool, as it is considered “safe." It is used almost exclusively by the large “mainstream” disability organizations. Some even offer training on policymaking for their employees and other disability rights advocates.Advocacy and policy training are great and necessary but there is a tool in the toolbox glaring all in the face, yet the advocacy and policy types don’t want to discuss or utilize it -- it’s called direct action.

Life Begins Again for Man After Stabbing

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- An armed man, unsuccessful in his attempt to rob Daniel Cuddy of $2 the night of June 14, did succeed in stealing, for a short time, Cuddy’s independence.
Cuddy, 48, who is developmentally disabled and a local leader in the self-advocacy movement, found himself in a hospital room after the attack. He had been stabbed four times and was totally dependent on others.