Texas Advocates — Project LEAD (Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy, & Self-Determination)

Project Goal
Provide leadership development and advocacy training for adults with developmental disabilities (DD) in Texas to become effective self-advocates and community leaders

Project Summary
Texas Advocates is preparing adults with DD to become leaders in their communities by providing support and resources to be active members of cross-disability and culturally diverse leadership coalitions on local, regional, and statewide levels. Along with leadership training, the project promotes participation on boards, taskforces, and other committees that affect policies that make a difference in the lives of Texans with DD.

TCDD supports leadership development and advocacy training led by self-advocates to create ways for people with DD to become leaders and to expand the participation of people with DD in cross-disability and culturally diverse leadership coalitions. Training programs can promote self-determination and engagement in community capacity building and in policy discussions at the state and local levels. Self-advocates may also be supported to join state and local board and advisory groups for disability advocacy organizations and agencies that serve people with DD.