Advocacy and Civic Engagement ProgramStacy Sage2021-01-14T16:31:30-08:00

Advocacy and Civic Engagement

Purpose of the Program

We aim to impact systems and policy change that create inclusive communities where the whole of a person’s intersectional identity can be seen and celebrated. We do this by providing culturally and linguistically diverse individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities and their families with resources, trainings, and a safe space to develop and express their stories, while being supported on paths to advocate for the change they believe in.

Image description: Image of a culturally diverse group of ODMF Advocates in red and yellow t-shirts on the steps of the Washington State Capitol with Representative Tina Orwall. Picture taken after the signing of Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1130.

2021 Legislative Priorities

Special Education: An educational system that celebrates the cultures and identities of Black, Indigenous, Students of Color with Disabilities and enables them to realize their full potential. Focus on combating the school to prison pipeline. For more info: Investing in Student Potential Coalition
Educational Language Access: All families have access to qualified interpreters and high-quality translations to meaningfully engage in their children’s education. For more info: Language Access Workgroup Report. Hear directly from families and read out 2021 Family Feedback Report on Language Access.
Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA): Protection of the DDA Budget with the acknowledgment that cuts will disproportionately hurt communities of color. For more info: Developmental Disabilities Council #CutsCauseCrisis

Image description: Image of Parent and Self-Advocate with State Senator Rebecca Saldana standing in an office. Picture taken at Investing in Student Potential Advocacy Day in Olympia.

Program Activities and Services

Launching Family Leadership Training in February 2021
Launching Self-Advocate Leadership Training and Council in 2022
Service on multiple committees to represent ODMF self-advocate and family experiences, including: state Special Education Advisory Council, Investing in Student Potential Steering Committee, Developmental Disabilities Ombuds Advisory Committee, Developmental Disabilities Council.
Connect self-advocates and families to policy-makers

Image description: Image of a culturally diverse group of people standing outside with signs. In the front row is a person sitting in a wheelchair. They are holding signs that say: Help us help ourselves, Autistic people have changed the world, We need interpreters, I want my own money Thank you, We want to work, Bring back DACA, We need interpreters in schools, I love my job, Affordable Housing Now, We don't want to stay home. Picture taken as advocates prepare for King County Legislative Forum for Developmental Disabilities

Team Members

Program Manager

Joy Y. Sebe, Ph.D

she/her

joys@multiculturalfamilies.org

Advocacy Program Coordinator

Moses Perez

he/him

mosesp@multiculturalfamilies.org

Community Engagement Assistant

Ky Ly

she/her

kyl@multiculturalfamilies.org

Executive Assistant

Lorres Jensen

she/her

lorresj@multiculturalfamilies.org

Advocacy Intern

Sunny Gao

she/her

sunnyg@multiculturalfamilies.org

Advocacy Intern

Munisha Kaur

she/her

munishak@multiculturalfamilies.org

Advisor and Co-President of the Board of Directors

Ros Damm

he/him

rossdamm260@hotmail.com

Languages Spoken by Team: English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Punjabi, Japanese, Vietnamese

Finding your Policymakers

Find Your Legislative and Congressional Districts

Find Your King County Council District

Thank you to our Funders!