March 2022

From the Executive Director's Desk

Dear readers,
 
One of the highlights of my career has been learning about and working on the issue of adult-size changing tables. This is an issue I knew absolutely nothing about just a few years ago. The day member Chrissy Hood was appointed to the Council is the day everything changed. As soon as she told her story about the need for adult-size changing tables in public places, the Council’s staff, members, and community partners got to work. This month, we've seen several years of that work start coming together. The bill expanding access to adult-size tables is moving through key committees in the Tennessee legislature. We also celebrated the Adventure Science Center’s new table with a ribbon cutting on Tuesday. Changing systems and policies is often slow and painstaking, so witnessing this kind of momentum feels extraordinary.

The reason I call this one of the highlights of my career (which I do not say lightly) is because of the way real citizens are leading it, with Tennesseans from all different backgrounds coming together. Legislators, state agencies, private businesses, and hundreds of citizens have stepped up to be part of addressing this issue. We all talk about teamwork, but I’ve never experienced anything quite like this.

No matter what happens this legislative session with the bill, Tennessee will never be the same. Adult-size changing tables are something we think about now. As the bill’s sponsor, Clay Doggett (R-Pulaski), said last week, “I check for a table every place I go now.” He went on to share that Pulaski installed a table in the town rec center. This is how our communities change. It’s a thrill to be part of it.

Join us by reading more about the Council here and reaching out.

Lauren Pearcy, Executive Director

Grow your leadership skills! Apply for Partners in Policymaking before March 31

  • Are you a person with a developmental disability?
  • Are you a parent/guardian/family member of someone with a developmental disability or other combined disabilities?
  • Would you like to work for real change for people with disabilities in your community and the state?

Then our Partners in Policymaking® program may be what you need!  Partners in Policymaking® is the Council’s free leadership and advocacy training program for adults with disabilities and family members of people with disabilities.  We’ve provided this 7-month series since 1993. Hundreds of graduates have gone on to do big things all across Tennessee.
You’ll learn from state and national experts on topics like:

  • Disability services and how to access them
  • New and innovative programs and ideas
  • Disability polices and practices and how they affect our lives 
  • Storytelling and media skills

The next class will run from September 2022 – April 2023.  Most classes will be virtual, with the possibility of opening and closing the class in person. 
We especially want to reach:

  • people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  • people of color
  • dads/brothers/grandfathers
  • folks outside of Middle TN

For more information and to apply, visit our website.

Subscribe to the Council's free magazine, Breaking Ground

We're finalizing our annual arts issue of Breaking Ground, the Council's quarterly print magazine. We can't wait for you to see the beautiful works we'll be featuring from Tennessee artists with disabilities and their family members! It's one of our favorite ways to celebrate our disability community every year.

Not subscribed to Breaking Ground? There is still time for you to sign up here! You can get print copies of Breaking Ground mailed to you (including multiple copies, if you would like to have extras to share), edit your email subscription to get the magazine by email, or receive a Braille copy by mail.

Free Virtual Sibling Workshops hosted by the Council and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center

TN Adult Brothers and Sisters (TABS) is a statewide information and support network for siblings of people with disabilities. TABS is led by the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.

The group meets monthly virtually to connect and learn from one another, and meetings often include guest speakers. TABS chats are free, informal, and confidential spaces to discuss issues that siblings of people with disabilities are experiencing. Siblings outside TN are welcome, too. Visit the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center events calendar to see and register for upcoming meetings.

Be in the Know: Newsletters We're Reading

If you have a developmental disability or love someone who does, you know: there's always more to learn. How do you track it all and stay up-to-date on issues and programs that matter?

In celebration of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, we're offering our pro list of the best newsletters to follow. (We admit we're biased: Each of these agencies is a member of our Council!) These are newsletters we read religiously to stay up-to-date on current news and information for people with developmental disabilities in Tennessee.

If this list feels overwhelming, don't worry: You don't have to read them all! Pick the issues or services that matter most to you. This Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and always, we're firm believers that there is nothing more powerful than well-informed self-advocates and families to create lasting change. 

Follow the links below to subscribe: