February is Black History month. The article highlights seven Black activists who advanced disability rights: Brad Lomax (Section 504 sit-ins organizer), Dennis Billups (Section 504 protest leader), Fannie Lou Hamer (voting rights activist), Willie Mae Goodman (fought institutionalization at Willowbrook), Louise B. Miller (challenged segregation of Deaf students), Donald Galloway (Berkeley Center for Independent Living), and Lois Curtis (lead plaintiff in Olmstead v. L.C., affirming the right to community living).

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Meet Tanya. This music-loving auntie is just starting to get involved in disability advocacy. She’s looking forward to moving out and becoming more independent. She loves to find resources for people to solve problems. We’re so fortunate to have her as a member of the Network!

What's your story?  Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Tanya is a 38-year-old woman who works at Bath and Body Works. She has seven nephews who she adores. They range in age from 4 to 22. While the older ones work or are in school, the younger ones like to do from building things with blocks to making obstacle courses. “I’m also considered everyone’s auntie,” she tells us.

Tanya shares that hydrocephalus (water on the brain) is her main disability. She also has mild cerebral palsy and spina bifida.

How are you involved with self-determination? Why did you join the SD Network?

Tanya shares that she is just beginning to get involved in disability advocacy. She serves on two committees for Molina MyChoice. She enjoys being able to make suggestions on how to help others. She also is currently taking the Partners in Policymaking course. She loves learning about the different legislation and the representative branches. She also likes meeting new people.

Tell us some good news - what's the most exciting thing happening for you (or in Wisconsin) in terms of self-determination?

Tanya is excited that she’s looking for a place to live. She’s looking forward to becoming more independent and being able to ride the bus places. She's also excited to be able to walk or ride her bike places if close enough. 

What tip or resource would you like to share with people who want to be more self-determined?

Tanya shares that she loves to help people find answers to questions they have. Using her own experiences, she is good at finding a variety of different resources for people.

What are some of your hobbies?

Tanya doesn’t just have one hobby. She is very open to trying almost anything. One of her favorite things to do it listen to music. The genre of music usually depends on her mood. She listens to anything from country to hip hop. She can switch genres in an instant! “It helps get creative juices flowing,” she says.

***We love hearing the views and opinions of Network members. We need to mention that the views and opinions expressed on this site are those of the person who is sharing them. They do not necessarily reflect InControl Wisconsin or any of our supporters and funders.

AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving report that one in four American adults are caregivers.  Katie Moureau, in Cottage Grove, is a mother to five boys and the caregiver to those who require additional care. Between administering medications, special diets, and several appointments throughout the week, Moureau said she can’t work because her boys need around-the-clock care. The Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations surveyed 525 caregivers. It found that 60% of unpaid caregivers provide care equal to or exceeding a part-time job.

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The Bipartisan Policy Center interviewed older adults through The People Say initiative to identify health care challenges. Key recommendations include: establishing Medicare respite benefits and caregiver tax credits to support family caregivers; addressing direct care workforce shortages through apprenticeships and adequate Medicaid payment rates; expanding telehealth and behavioral health access; streamlining Medicare Savings Program enrollment; and reducing system complexity through State Health Insurance Assistance Programs and integrated care models like PACE.

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Theo Braddy, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), discusses threats to disability rights. NCIL is the longest-running disability-led association in the nation with 660 centers across the country that empower people with disabilities to thrive in their communities. Braddy: "Discrimination against and the oppression of people with disabilities is largely invisible in our society until it happens to us."

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