by Marshall Gisondi

ON THE HOME FRONT

"I am an advocate for the disabled". How many times do these words ring

out among

persons who work with a particular disability organization? What do these

people

emulate when they utter such remarkable words that provoke our thoughts.? Do

these

people know exactly what they say? What does it mean to serve as an advocate

for the

disabled?

Webster's dictionary offers this definition to clarify what the word

advocate entails.

"To speak in favor of; recommend, one who argues for a cause or person; a

supporter or

defender..." What does this definition tell us? In order to serve as an

advocate, we may belong to an organization that serves to advocate for

persons with a disability, or we may advocate as individuals. Advocacy

begins at the home front. In our communities we may advocate for a person

with a

disability. How can a person advocate for the disabled with out

organizational support?

First, we should realize that advocacy serves to integrate persons with

disabilities into our communities. As individuals and organizations work

together, more leaps and

bounds will accomplish the goal, total unity in one society. As the

definition states,

advocacy means "to speak in favor of, recommend, one who argues for a

cause..."

Organizations strive to lobby on the legislative level for persons with

disabilities.

Organizations also serve to support or defend. Does advocacy go to a deeper

level? How can individuals implement advocacy on the home front, and still

work hand in hand with organizations?

Some brief suggestions will help demonstrate how advocacy becomes a

necessity on

an individual level. Look at this list, and determine to become an advocate

for those

persons in your community who have disabilities; if you have a friend or

family member with a disability who needs assistance, act as a part time

caregiver when possible,

when someone with a disability approaches you, cast all barriers and

apprehension aside,

encourage persons with disabilities to attend church, treat a person with a

disability as an equal, join a disability outreach in your community or

start one, and the list goes on. Creativity plays an active part here.

These points represent an excellent start, but additional ideas exist

as well. Advocacy must start at the home front before it can enter into the

organizational level. Individuals comprise organizations. therefore, if

individuals learn to serve as advocates on the home front, they can better

serve in an organization because they enter the organization with the proper

armor and ammunition to fight against, and defeat the societal prejudice and

misconceptions which runs rampant in our community. How does society close

the gap between the abled and disabled world? When every person advocates

for one another.

If you have a topic idea please write to the column. Please write to:

Marshall’s Mailbox
C/O Differently Abled Associates, Inc.,
711 Gibraltar Road
Reading, PA 19606