Action Alerts for BCIL Youth

Our forum for young leaders with disabilities, Act Today Influence Tomorrow is focused on advocacy around issues that affect the disability community such as housing, employment, public transportation, and personal care attendant concerns. We are currently working on a piece of legislation that would require disability history to be taught in Massachusetts schools. Currently, there are only four states (Florida, North Carolina, Washington State, and West Virginia) that have passed similar pieces of legislation. Please join us to help get disability history legislation passed in Massachusetts, because it would bring disability in to an open forum.

We meet approximately once a month at Easter Seals, a terrific partner in much of our work, which is located at 89 South Street Boston, MA 02111. Please check the upcoming events section for the date and time of our next meeting. We would like to invite all young people with disabilities to join this advocacy group because it is your energy and creative ideas that will lead the disability rights movement into the future. People with all disabilities and skill levels are welcome to join. We don’t expect you to be the next Barack Obama or Justin Dart; the only requirement for this group is a shared enthusiasm for positive change..

Please contact Stacy Rogers at 617-338-6665 xt. 232, or by email at SRogers@Bostoncil.org to find out more, or if you have any questions. Together we can spread the word and build our group of young disability rights movement activists.

Proposed Legislation

The legislature finds that annually, it will recognize disability history throughout our entire public educational system, from kindergarten through grade twelve and at our colleges and universities, during the month of October and at other times as appropriate. This will help to increase awareness and understanding of the contributions that people with disabilities in our state, nation, and the world have made to our society. The legislature further finds that recognizing disability history will increase respect and promote acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities. The legislature further finds that recognizing disability history will inspire students with disabilities to feel a greater sense of pride, reduce harassment and bullying, and help keep students with disabilities in school.

Annually, during the month of October and at other times as appropriate, each public school shall conduct and promote educational activities that provide instruction, awareness, and understanding of disability history and people with disabilities. The activities may include, but not be limited to, school assemblies or guest speaker presentations.

Action Alerts for BCIL Youth

Proposed Legislation

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