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Thank you for celebrating Developmental Disabilities (DD) Awareness Month with us!
This annual campaign raises awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life and brings attention to the challenges people with disabilities may still face when engaging in communities in which they live, work, and play.
Throughout March, the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD), in partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (AgriLife), asked Texans to help create more inclusive communities across the state by connecting with and learning more about their neighbors with DD. We are proud to see so many Texans participate in disability advocacy, connect with their local representatives, learn about how people with disabilities are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and more. Below are some of the many highlights from DD Awareness Month 2022.
Raising Awareness with FEMA
TCDD joined the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for its Region 6 Disability Equity and Inclusion Educational Series. The educational series provided awareness and education about individuals with disabilities in emergency management.
Dr. Beth Stalvey, TCDD executive director, presented, “The Impact of COVID-19 on Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Resources to Help Increase Awareness and Understanding,” during the training. Stalvey discussed how people with disabilities have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and shared the stories and experiences TCDD gathered from its Texas COVID Stories campaign. The conversation covered innovative solutions for cross-cutting issues, shared best practices, and helped cultivate partnerships across federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government in Region 6 to address public health emergencies.
AgriLife Activities
AgriLife agents created and shared a bingo game that challenged local advocates to complete initiatives in support of DD awareness. The game highlighted how Texans with disabilities, their families, and the professionals who serve them are a prime audience for AgriLife’s research-based education. Louraiseal McDonald of Harrison County and Wendy Hamilton of Brown County, two standout AgriLife agents, participated in the 2022 DD Awareness Month Bingo. In adopting inclusive practices through their relationships with local community organizations, McDonald and Hamilton illustrate how partnerships like the one between AgriLife and TCDD are vital to reaching rural and underserved populations with disabilities.
Reaching ALL Texans through Inclusive Extension Programming Workshop
The “Reaching ALL Texans Through Inclusive Extension Programming Workshop” launched on March 21 by TCDD regional coordinators Morgan Bradley, Erin Fogarty, Rosa Guel, Skyler Mueller, Dr. Shelby Vaughn, and AgriLife Senior Extension Program Specialist Andrew Crocker. Regional coordinators discussed strategies for inclusive recruitment, programming, materials, and resources and support. The recording of the workshop is available for viewing.
Blindness Training for Employment Service Providers at D12 Extension Office
In collaboration with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), TCDD held a three-day Blindness Training for Employment Service Providers at the District-12 AgriLife Extension and Research facility. The training placed a strong emphasis on disability awareness for employers to help their employees with disabilities contribute to meaningful and effective employment. The training’s awareness segment included myths and facts about people with disabilities, with the goal to create opportunities, remove roadblocks and barriers, and to stop disability discrimination. The training also included an overview of vocational rehabilitation teacher services, the role of the employment assistant specialists, and the broad spectrum of resources available to employers.
We Hire Ability Employer Recognition
The TWC We Hire Ability program recognizes Texas employers for their commitment to hiring people with disabilities and for their efforts to create an inclusive workforce. The program started in 2021 and encourages Texas employers to expand a culture of inclusion in their workplaces. This year, TWC recognized nine employers, including three from the Rio Grande Valley. The We Hire Ability campaign is designed to raise awareness about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities.
Young Adult Leadership and Advocacy
In March, TCDD highlighted the innovative work of Mounting Horizons, which created the Young Adult Advocates Leadership club to offer opportunities for young adults with DD to build their leadership and advocacy skills while increasing their civic and community engagement. As part of the project, Mounting Horizons created a 24-page guide on how to start your own leadership and advocacy club for young adults with DD in your community. This project is one of three young adult leadership training programs funded by TCDD.
Disability Representation in Film and Television
TCDD shared information on disability representation in the media, spotlighting how representation has grown over the past year but also noting that there is still much more room to include the experience of individuals with disabilities in film and television. This month brought a unique moment of increased representation as the disability community saw award-winning representation at the Oscars this March. The film “CODA,” which follows a high school girl and aspiring singer who is the only non-Deaf member of her family, won Best Picture at the awards ceremony. Troy Kutsur, who played the role of the girl’s father, became the first Deaf man to win Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
DD Awareness Month 2021 has ended, but our work is far from over. We invite you to stay involved and join us in creating more inclusive communities 365 days a year.
- Learn who represents you and contact them to advocate for the change you wish to see.
- Connect with your Regional Coordinator to learn more about disability-related topics in your part of the state.
- Educate yourself on what ableism is and how we can stop it.
- Subscribe to our newsletter to receive advocacy opportunities and legislative news updates.
TCDD envisions a future where all Texans with disabilities are fully included in their communities and exercise control over their own lives. The Council funds innovative projects across the state connecting with individuals with disabilities, caregivers, partners, and providers in the communities where they live and work. TCDD serves as a resource to state government to create responsive policies and systems and helps communities across Texas build capacity to support and include people with DD in all areas of life.Read Gov. Abbott’s DD Awareness Month proclamation (PDF).
