Advocacy Network on Disabilities

Calling?all high school and middle school students in Miami-Dade County! The Children’s Trust Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is hosting an Environmental Resiliency Youth Summit on Saturday, September 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Florida International University - College of Engineering & Computing. Youth leaders from across our community will get together to learn about environmental solutions and how to create positive change in their community. The event will also feature a film festival competition, interactive workshops, upcycled art exhibits, and more! Plus, it’s a chance to earn community service hours while meeting others who care as much as you do about our planet. If you're interested, please sign up here https://bit.ly/3TwOpKn #WeAreTCT #YAC #EnvironmentalResiliency #YouthLeadership #FutureLeaders #CommunityImpact?

We participated with many organizations to provide resources and information to our community. The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County

My heart is so full and my bucket is overflowing! This morning the Nonprofit Executive Alliance held its quarterly regional CEO meeting. We got a great advocacy overview and learned more about state efforts and resources from Florida Nonprofit Alliance, our statewide industry organization that provides fantastic tools and resources to nonprofit leaders. Then we heard from our partners across the region. Thank you Isabela Corzo from United Way Miami, Amanda Gorski from The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County, Nicholas Hessing from Children's Services Council of Broward County and NEA member Kathleen Cannon from United Way of Broward County. We rounded out the morning by hearing from valued members Germaine Smith-Baugh, Ed.D. CEO of Urban League of Broward County, Felipe Pinzon CEO Hispanic Unity of Florida, Inc. (HUF), Irenaida Diaz LCSW, MCAP, ICADC CEO of Advocacy Network on Disabilities and Linda Parker, PhD CEO of Women In Distress of Broward County, Inc. Thank you NEA Board Chair Cornell Crews Jr Executive Director of the Community Reinvestment Alliance of Florida for moderating this insightful and courageous conversation. With dozens of our members in the room, we learned, we laughed, we cried, and we all left feeling inspired. Advocacy might sometimes seem a daunting task, but leaders are natural advocates, and the best champions for the causes that they care about and lead. It is my hope that this morning provided an opportunity to lean into that role, be reminded of why it’s so important, leave with some words of wisdom and empower. Special thanks to Fernanda Jorgensen, MPH, Executive Director of PhilanthropyMiami who has lifted our Miami efforts to help us regionalize impact and better support nonprofit leaders. When asked why it is important for nonprofit leaders to be advocates, Ire said it best. “People’s lives depend on it” Whatever cause you’re passionate about, never apologize for standing up for what’s right. Storytelling can often times be the most powerful lobbying you can do. How do you stand up for those you serve and those without a voice? How do you leverage your position to do more good and to support others who you may align with? Answering those questions is just one of the many benefits of membership. Thank you to everyone who joined us today. It is truly a humbling privilege to work with community superheroes across south Florida. #leadership #nonprofits #nonprofitleadership #community #communityleaders #communitysuperheroes #partnership #collaboration #advocacy

Last day of the Florida Behavioral Health Conference. Feeling exhilarated to make our families’ lives better

I cried more about this hateful comment than the pain of the actual tattoo yesterday ?? So, if ever I needed a reason to re-double my efforts to #ChangeTheWorld then this is it! ?? However, I need your help today (more than most days!): ??: Repost this to show society why we need change ? : Like this post to show that love always wins ?? : Comment with your views on her argument. So let’s deconstruct Kym’s <<insightful, well thought-through, deeply analytical and well researched academic viewpoints >>: ?? 1: “Old enough to say the alphabet” #TheJoshieMan is a 10 year old #NonSpeaking Autistic boy. His differences are life-long and do not magically disappear as he ages. ?? 2: “ADHD and Autism are just an excuse for poor parenting” Both are clinically diagnosed medical conditions which have benefited from a plethora of research for nearly 100 years. I read extensively and never once have I seen poor parenting attributed as a factor. ?? 3: “Stop giving thick kids a label” Actually, some of the brightest minds we have ever had have been #Autistic or #ADHD. There is a reason that these genes have persisted over thousands of years – they benefit our society on a macro level. #TJM is a smart cookie (just see my featured posts here). ?? 4: “Let’s go back to the days when they were locked up and happily forgotten about” Yes, we did used to lock children with differences away in institutions and deny them a formal education. However the human population also did other disgusting things in its history and thankfully we evolve and mature. I cannot imagine any family forgetting about their cherished child. ?? 5: “They should never be in mainstream school” I love the law and thankfully section 34(2) of the Children and Families Act (CFA) 2014 disagrees with you Kym. ?? 6: “Spastic and Dunces” Usage of these abhorrent words says more about the person saying them than the intended target of hate. ?? 7: “Stopped the friendship immediately” Whilst I previously have always shared my experiences on an anonymous basis (so as not to impact upon the ill-informed subject) on this occasion, Kym Clinton, you have chosen to post publicly on my post visible to the whole world and defame my amazing little Joshie-man. ??Who is with us today? Is love stronger than hate? #AutismEmpowement #NeuroInclusion #Neurodiversity Image ID: See comments.

Grateful for the opportunity to learn with part of our team to continue to serve our community

The Children's Trust wrapped up the "HealthConnect School-Based Health 2024 Professional Development Conference" at Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus. More than 300 healthcare professionals and organizations came together to discuss vital topics such as mental health support for students, innovative health education programs, and strategies for improving school access to healthcare. A huge thank you to our guest speakers, Trust staff and everyone who contributed to this conference's success!? #WeAreTCT #HealthConnect #SchoolBasedHealth #Healthcare #ChildCare #BackToSchool #MDC

People with disabilities and older adults have rights during disasters and emergency situations. Learn about the laws that protect your rights, about emergency shelters and resources, and your rights at a disaster/emergency shelter: https://bit.ly/46yeq1r #TropicalStormDebbie

Happy Disability Pride Month! Do you know the story of how activists pushed for the passage of the American Disabilities Act??? The American Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark civil rights law enacted in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the public. It came to fruition thanks to the advocacy of disability activists, who organized for decades leading up to the Capitol Crawl.?? The Capitol Crawl took place in March 1990 when over 60 disability rights activists, including eight-year-old Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, abandoned their mobility aids and crawled up the steps of the U.S. Capitol. This powerful demonstration highlighted the inaccessibility of public spaces and underscored the urgent need for the ADA. The dramatic protest captured national attention and was pivotal in the ADA's eventual passage, advancing rights and accessibility for people with disabilities.? Despite the legislative advancement, the ADA has its limitations. It primarily applies to public and private entities, however, there are noted gaps in coverage for smaller businesses and certain private activities. The ADA also does not fully address the needs of people with disabilities in underserved or rural areas where resources and support services may be lacking. Additionally, enforcement of ADA provisions can be inconsistent. The ADA also does not address the economic inequity many disabled people face. While it may address accessibility, it has had little impact in addressing the social stigma of disability.?? The fight for disability liberation continues, now with a new generation of activists addressing intersectionality and social justice.?? ???? ???????????? ?????????? #Disability #Disabilitypride #disabled #queeryouthpower #lgbtpride #lgbthistory #lgbtqrights #lgbtqsupport #lgbtqsupport #lgbtqteens #lgbtqmiami #lgbtqia #lgbtq #trans #pansexual #mentalhealth #youareenough #lovelove #queerjoy #protecttranskids #saygay #transrightsarehumanrights?

Our team made sure children with disabilities and their siblings had an amazing, inclusive party to get ready for school. We provided school supplies, lunch and fun for everyone. Inclusion matters. Thank you to the support of our community partners The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County United Way Miami The Miami Foundation