state-advocates
We find ourselves celebrating our third consecutive World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) against the backdrop of a global pandemic; though, undeniably, something has recently shifted. While much of the world, and certainly much of the United States, has decided that it is time to turn the page, close the book,
state-advocates
This week, two members of our Little Lobbyists community launched a drive to stop the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland from dropping their school mask mandate. Despite excellent organizing efforts and heart-felt testimony, including a petition that captured over 600 signatures in a week, the county Board of
state-advocates
Self-directed or consumer-directed services are an increasingly popular option among state Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers. The Self-Directed Advocacy Network of Maryland, Inc., (SDAN) calls self-direction, “Living the life you want.” Jeneva interviewed Alicia Wopat, President of SDAN, to learn more about the group’s advocacy. Tell me about
journey-with-jeneva
Share the Journey with Jeneva: Sherry Pickett Gets to the “Heart” of Advocacy Sherry Pickett has a Master’s Degree in Education, specializing in mental health. She’s worked in the mental health field for the last 18 years, providing Case Management Services and Therapy/Parenting Classes. Now her career
family-advocacy
My daughter Brynleigh is a happy girl whose smile brightens up a room, She is in first grade and absolutely loves music therapy. She doesn’t like eating veggies, but will polish off a box of chicken nuggets before we finish our drive back home. Brynleigh was diagnosed at nine-and-a-half
pandemic
As our last school year ended here in Florida, I was feeling optimistic about the summer and hopeful that with the widespread availability of Covid-19 vaccines we were at the end of this pandemic. My daughter Payton is seven years old and has just finished kindergarten. She loves dancing, being
journey-with-jeneva
Bio: After graduating from Elon University with a degree in Corporate Communications, Lauren had a 12-year career in the electronic healthcare industry. Lauren and her family have volunteered, advocated, and fundraised for TSC and Epilepsy. In 2017, Lauren became Chair for the TS Alliance Community Chapter in Maryland and began
state-advocates
An Open Letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): My name is Mallorie Hatcher from Johnson City, Tennessee. I work full-time as an occupational therapist. I am the proud parent of a nine-year-old daughter, Londyn, and a seven-year-old son, Nolan. As a member of Little Lobbyists, I
state-advocates
At Little Lobbyists we know our most powerful advocacy tool is our vote. My own children, Collin, Bridget, and Abby, have learned from a very young age that advocacy is not just about working with the legislators you have, but about electing the right people for the job. This year,
pandemic
Dear Governor Parson, I wanted to take a moment to respond to a recent interview you did regarding children returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. You stated that when kids go back to school they would get COVID-19 and they would all “get over it.” My daughter Olive is
advocacy
Jeneva is delighted to interview Ken Capone, Director of People On the Go of Maryland, a statewide self-advocacy organization for people with disabilities. The Maryland State Assembly often turns to Ken to elucidate disability issues in its legislative deliberations. Tell me about yourself. I was the second youngest of six
medicaid
Laura Robeson lives in Prairie Village, Kansas, with her son, Danny, age eight, and her husband. Laura has an M.Ed. in Elementary Education from Rockhurst University and, while she currently stays home with Danny, considers herself a lifelong educator. Laura attended the 2019 State of the Union Address as