We’re just a month into 2023, and it’s already turning out to be an exciting and invigorating year. From beginning to craft the 2025-2027 State Plan for Independent Living, to exploring the benefits of mentorship, to making plans for another project that will be revealed in the spring, we’ve started the year off strong! Your support and participation with MISILC and the CILs helped us have an incredible 2022, and we’re grateful to have you on this journey in 2023. Thank you for your continued support of our efforts and Michigan’s disability community–we’re so proud to do this important work and collaborate with change-makers across our state.
- Steve Locke, Executive Director, MI SILC
For the latest news, events, and resources, follow us on Instagram or Facebook or visit www.misilc.org.
A Quick Recap
In case you missed it, here’s what SILC and the CILs were up to in January:
FOCUSED ON MENTORSHIP
January is National Mentoring Month, and mentorship is a strategy that offers significant opportunities to people with disabilities, whether they’re transitioning to independent living or progressing their careers. Our blog explored different types of mentorship, including peer support and employer/employee programs, and suggested ways to become a mentor or find one yourself. The CILs provide assistance to employers seeking to create more inclusive workplaces, including those who are looking to start a mentorship program, and people with disabilities who would like to take part in mentorship. In addition, state programs like the Michigan Peer Mentoring Program and national-level initiatives like the National Mentoring Resource Center help people connect with mentors who will support their personal and professional goals.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY
This month, we celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and recognized the links between disability and civil rights advocacy. Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not include disability as a protected class, MLK’s work leading peaceful protests and speaking out against injustice and discrimination in all its forms helped to inspire the disability rights movement’s tactics leading up to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. We are grateful for MLK’s life, influence, and perseverance in the quest for a more equitable and inclusive world.
Ed roberts day
During the week of January 23rd, Centers for Independent Living nationwide celebrated the life and legacy of Ed Roberts, a staunch disability advocate who paved the way for today’s Independent Living movement. Mr. Roberts was born in 1939 and contracted polio as a child before vaccines became widely available, and the illness led to him becoming paralyzed from the neck down. He became the first student with substantial disabilities to attend the University of California - Berkeley, and his admission made it possible for many other students with disabilities to attend the school and live on campus. After completing his education, Roberts became the head of the first independent living program run for and by people with disabilities – the Berkeley Center for Independent Living. He also served as Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and was the founder of the World Institute on Disability. Learn more about Ed Roberts and his vital work and advocacy at https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/six/6b/1.html
WE STILL NEED YOUR FEEDBACK
We’ve received more than 50 responses to our Community Needs Assessment that supports MISILC’s development of a new State Plan for Independent Living! If you haven’t shared your insights with us yet, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SJYLTXD and make your voice heard today!
Making Music More Inclusive
Western Michigan University Chapter of “United Sound” recently performed with the US Navy band in Chicago, demonstrating the importance of making music inclusive for all. United Sound is a student organization partnered with Western Michigan’s Center for Disability Services to provide peer mentorship to students who want to learn to play an instrument. The chapter is one of many in high schools and colleges across the US supported by the United Sound nonprofit organization, which provides assistance and curriculum tools to teachers and student-led groups working to cultivate musicians with disabilities. Learn more about the performance and the organization at https://wmich.edu/news/2023/01/70294
“Disability Tech” Sees Growing Opportunity and Investment
Technology has changed the way we live, and for people with disabilities, it’s creating more and more access where barriers too often existed. Lately, tech leaders have launched a historic number of disability-related startups and incubator programs, like the Moonshot Disability Accelerator Initiative, to boost funding and development of adaptive technology. Other incubators are encouraging developers in all tech industries to take a more inclusive approach by designing products and services for everyone. Learn more about the intersection of technology and disability at https://www.forbes.com/sites/laureldonnellan/2023/01/18/disability-tech-is-a-game-changer-for-2023-and-beyond/?sh=2977e4185837
Erratic Weather Nationwide Highlights Need for Emergency Preparedness
From unseasonably warm days to unprecedented flooding, the weather in 2023 has run the gamut and reminded us all of the importance of emergency preparedness. From completing a Smart 911 profile to making a personalized emergency plan with your local CIL, there are many steps you can take to ensure your needs are met during even the most extreme weather. Read how disability activist Alice Wong dealt with power outages and caregiver delays during the most recent severe storms in the state—and what she wants to see happen at a national level to make emergency planning more inclusive: https://www.hcn.org/articles/ideas-social-justice-californias-power-outages-are-a-life-and-death-issue
SPIRIT CLUB FITNESS SESSIONS:
Mondays 9:30-10:30am at DNSWM
Mondays & Wednesdays 4:00-5:00pm at Ann Arbor CIL
REC-IT COOKING CLASS IN FT. GRATIOT WITH DISABILITY NETWORK EASTERN MICHIGAN
February 1st and February 15th from 1:00-2:00pm
Register here!
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY PEER SUPPORT GROUP AT DISABILITY NETWORK CAPITAL AREA
February 1st and February 15th from 6:00-8:00pm
Register here!
VIRTUAL ART CLASS “OPEN STUDIO” WITH ANN ARBOR CIL
February 2nd, February 9th, February 16th, and February 23rd from 1:30-3:00pm
Find more info here!
ADAPTIVE SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING WITH DISABILITY NETWORK EASTERN MICHIGAN
February 4th, February 11th, February 25th from 9:00am-4:00pm
Find more info here!
WEBINAR: BLACK DISABILITY HISTORY - DISABILITY NETWORK SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
February 7th from 10:00-11:00am and February 16th from 1:30-3:00pm
Register here!
ZOOM BASED GAMING SOCIAL GROUP WITH DISABILITY NETWORK NORTHERN MICHIGAN
February 7th, February 14th, February 21st, and February 28th from 3:00-4:00pm
Register here!
WEBMOVIE: CITIZEN SAM - DISABILITY NETWORK SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
February 10th from 10:00am-12:00pm
Register here!
FEATHERS AND FEDORAS ANNUAL FUNDRAISER WITH DISABILITY NETWORK MID-MICHIGAN
February 11th at 5:30pm at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bay City
Get your tickets here!
SERVICE ANIMALS TRAINING AT DISABILITY NETWORK WEST MICHIGAN
February 22nd from 12:00-1:00pm
Reserve a spot here!
WEBMOVIE: FAR FROM THE TREE - DISABILITY NETWORK SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
February 28th from 1:30-4:00pm
Register here!