Council-Sponsored Grant Activities

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SELF ADVOCACY:

SAM or Self-Advocates Minnesota

SAM is the new networking group in Minnesota for people with developmental and other disabilities in Minnesota. It was developed over the last few years by self-advocates and allies in the state. Self-advocates were frustrated that self-advocacy received minimal funding and had no structure. They were frustrated because there was not a visible self-advocacy organization acting as the “hub” of the movement in Minnesota. Therefore, through multiple discussions over the last few years, SAM was launched in 2007.

SAM uses small group discussions to help members process and own information

SAM State Leadership Circle decided to increase public awareness about the hurtful use of the “R” word in popular culture.

SAM is not a new non-profit but a networking, communication hub for the self-advocacy movement in Minnesota. SAM does not dictate the direction of any local, community-based self-advocacy group. Rather, SAM supports their efforts in the following ways: SAM raises money and gets resources to self-advocacy groups across Minnesota. SAM provides technical assistance to self-advocacy groups to help them meet their goals. SAM puts systems of communication in place to better communicate and learn from each other.

Dignity is what SAM is all about.

SAM groups use theater and role-playing to explore ideas and concepts about empowerment and disability rights.

The mission of SAM is to promote the human and civil rights of people with developmental disabilities and help support people with all disabilities to be active participants in the larger disability and human rights movement. SAM is located in six regions. Each region works on personal empowerment, disability awareness and systems change.

SAM members explore the concept of equal justice.

SAM groups invite a woman from Iraq to talk about services for people with disabilities in Middle East.