CHANGE for People with Disabilities Time to Email

CHANGE for People with Disabilities! Time to Email Obama!

What’s in This Slide Show? • Making history for people with disabilities … • Why Email Obama’s Team? • Learning More About Obama’s Plan for People with Disabilities • How to Email Obama’s Team! • What Else Can I Do to Support the Email Obama! Campaign?

Making History … • On November 4, 2008, millions of people with disabilities across the United States and around the world joined our non-disabled peers in watching the United States election results.

Making History … • Obama supporters cheered or wept to learn that the next US president would be Obama. • Then we all cheered or wept again when Obama mentioned people with disabilities in his acceptance speech.

Making History … • “It is the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, DISABLED and not disabled-Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America. ” – President-Elect Barack Obama Acceptance speech, November 4, 2008; emphasis added

Making History … • History was made--not only for America, not only for Black people, not only for Kenya and all of Africa, not only for Indigenous peoples, but also for people with disabilities.

What’s Next? • But we cannot afford to allow the moment to end here. • Whether we supported Obama, Mc. Cain, or another candidate, we all know there is far too much work ahead before we can say, “Yes, we have made real change for people with disabilities. ”

What’s Next? • Obama has made important promises to people with disabilities. • Politicians are always more quick to follow through on their promises when they know the country--and the world--is watching them.

What’s Next? • We need to make sure Obama’s team knows people with disabilities, our loved ones, colleagues, and other allies are watching him too!

Time to Take Action! • It is time for all of us to join together, across ideological divides, to reach out to Obama. • We should all send an email to Kareem Dale, Obama’s National Disability Vote Director (at kdale@barackobama. com), WITH COPIES TO Anne Hayes, a volunteer on the Obama Disability Policy Committee (at ahayesku@hotmail. com).

Why Email Obama’s Team? • First, we should thank Obama--and also Kareem Dale--for mentioning people with disabilities in Obama’s acceptance speech on November 4. • Ensure that they understand how much it matters simply for us to be included. • How did you feel when Obama mentioned us? Share your story.

Why Email Obama’s Team? • Second, we should tell Obama and Kareem Dale that we are aware of Obama’s disability platform.

Why Email Obama’s Team? • Obama promised to increase educational opportunities; end discrimination; increase employment opportunities; and support independent, communitybased living for Americans with disabilities.

Why Email Obama’s Team? • And he promised to sign the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and to encourage the Senate to ratify it. • The CRPD is the first international, legally-binding human rights treaty for people with disabilities.

Why Email Obama’s Team? • The CRPD is consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act--but would also be a tool that advocates could use to expand disability rights in the US. • If the US signs then ratifies the CRPD then other countries would have fewer excuses to refuse to do the same.

Why Email Obama’s Team? • Tell Obama and Kareem Dale that we are ready to call Obama to account if he fails us. • But more importantly, we are ready to work with him for change for people with disabilities.

Email Obama’s Team! • It is important to send your disabilityrelated emails to BOTH Kareem Dale AND Anne Hayes (kdale@barackobama. com AND ahayesku@hotmail. com) between now and inauguration day. • Kareem Dale’s email address may change between now and January 20, 2009. Anne Hayes can help ensure that emails sent to Kareem Dale are not lost during this time of transition.

Email Obama’s Team! • Both Kareem Dale and others who have worked on disability issues within the Obama campaign are ready to receive YOUR emails on disability-related issues for US President-elect Obama. • Emails are welcome from across the United States and around the world. • If you are a US citizen, then please say so in your email.

Wait! First I Want to Learn More! • Learn more about Obama’s plan for people with disabilities at: http: //origin. barackobama. com/issues/ disabilities/ • Yes, the video is captioned. And if you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you can download Obama’s Full Plan for people with disabilities in PDF format (62 Kb).

Wait! First I Want to Learn More! • If you wish, read Obama’s acceptance speech at: http: //www. barackobama. com/200 8/11/04/remarks_of_presidentelec t_bara. php

Wait! First I Want to Learn More! • Want to read emails from other people as inspiration for writing your own? Follow the link to http: //reunifygally. wordpress. com/2008/ 11/13/emails-to-obama-creating-change -for-people-with-disabilities/

Wait! First I Want to Learn More! • Learn more about the CRPD, and why it matters so much to people with disabilities, at http: //ratifynow. org/ratifynow-faq/

Disability Issues Aren’t My Only Concern! • Just like everyone else, you probably worry about the economy, Iraq, jobs, and climate change. • If you wish to contact Obama’s staff on some topic other than disability, then you can send an email via his web page at http: //www. change. gov/page/s/ofthepe ople

Time to Email Obama! • Send your disability-related emails to BOTH Kareem Dale AND Anne Hayes (kdale@barackobama. com AND ahayesku@hotmail. com) between now and inauguration day.

What Else Can I Do? • After you send your email to Obama’s team: • Recruit people you know to send their own emails to Obama! • Share this power point program with friends, loved ones, and colleagues. Or refer them to http: //wecando. wordpress. com/2008/1 1/07/disabilities-email-obama/

What Else Can I Do? • The original Call to Action was first posted at http: //wecando. wordpress. com/2008/11/0 7/disabilities-email-obama/ • Please copy/paste the text into your blog, Facebook page, email to friends, etc. The most updated version will be at the above link. • Or, if you prefer, please post or email this Power. Point program.

What Else Can I Do? • Perhaps your letter can help inspire other people to write their own. • Share your letter in the comments area at http: //wecando. wordpress. com/2008/1 1/07/disabilities-email-obama/ • If I think it is especially good or interesting, I might ask you for permission to post it at one of my two blogs.

What Else Can I Do? • Consider making a podcast or video promoting the Email Obama! Campaign. Post it on line! • If you do this, please leave the URL in the comments area at http: //wecando. wordpress. com/20 08/11/07/disabilities-emailobama/

What Else Can I Do? • But whatever else you do … don’t forget … • Send your emails to kdale@barackobama. com WITH COPIES TO ahayesku@hotmail. com