Tag: Sparking the movement

Every person’s story has the power to make a difference. When you speak up, you help others understand what life is like for you and why change is needed. Disability rights have improved because people shared their experiences and asked for better laws and support. Your story can help others see what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change in your community.  

People choose to share their stories for many different reasons. Some reasons include: 

• Personal growth: Your story can help you understand your own experiences, values, and goals. 

• Community learning: By sharing your story with others, you can help them understand the challenges and impact of systems and services.  

• Creating change: You can be in a classroom, local meeting, statewide agency, or with state or national leaders; your story can help others see what’s working and what needs improvement. 

Whether its in the classroom, community meeting, or with state leaders, sharing your story can motivate others to speak up and influence positive changes.  

PAVE offers Speak Up and Be Heard! coaching sessions for self-advocates in Pierce County. These sessions include both individual and group feedback to help make your story clear, strong, and ready to share. To sign up, check the PAVE calendar  and type: be heard in the search bar. 

Before you begin, take a moment to think about what you want to say. Your story can help others understand what needs to change. 

1. What is the problem or challenge? 
   Think about a challenge you experienced. It could be something that affects you, or someone in your family. Try writing one sentence about how this problem affects people in general, and one sentence about how it affects you personally. 

2. Who else is affected? 
   Does this problem affect other people in your school, community, or state? Think about how others might feel or struggle with the same issue. 

3. What happens if nothing changes? 
   Imagine what life will be like if this problem continues. Will things get harder for you or others? 

4. What needs to change? 
   Think about what could make the situation better. What would help you and others? 

5. What can be done? 
   Are there actions or ideas that could improve things? What do you think would help solve the problem? 

6. Who can help? 
   Think about who has the power to make change like lawmakers, school leaders, or community groups. These are the people you want to share your story with. 

This video introduces a strategy for telling a potent story in two or fewer minutes, using your own hand to guide the process.  

Think of this as a hand model for an inspirational elevator speech to improve or inspire: 

• Speaking up for yourself 

• Public comment 

• A meeting with state leaders 

• Legislative forums or candidate meetings 

• Community education 

For support to create your story, fill out a PAVE Support Request, and a trained staff member will contact you. 

1. Start with who you are. Be sure to say your name and the district, city, or town you live in. 

2. Be careful with private information. If you want to include information about other people be sure you have permission before sharing anything confidential, such as names, ages, or health information. 

3. Say what the problem is. Clearly and simply describe the problem or challenge. 

4. Explain why this is important. Tell why this issue is important to you and others. 

5. Share a short story. Write 4–5 sentences about how this issue has affected you or your family. If you can, share a positive example of something that went well and why you want others to have the same chance. 

6. Make a clear request. 
   Say what you want to happen in one short sentence (30 words or less). Provide a clear action: 

• “I ask you to vote for…” 

• “I want you to change this policy in order to…” 

• “I want you to fund a program that…” 

• “I’m asking our school principal to consider…” 

• “I want the community board to support…”  

7. Focus on solutions. 
   Make sure your message is respectful. Don’t blame or criticize. Instead, talk about how fixing the problem can help others in your community. 

8. End with thanks. 
   Repeat your request and say thank you. If you know something good the lawmaker has done before, mention it. For example, thank them for voting for a bill or supporting a program.  

We have provided a worksheet for easy practice. Steps to How To Tell Your Story Worksheet

Once you’ve written your story, it’s time to make it shine! Read it out loud until it feels natural. Practice with a friend or family member. Try to keep it short – just 1 to 2 minutes is perfect. That’s called an “elevator speech,” because it’s short enough to share in a quick conversation. 

Ask someone you trust to read your story and give feedback.  

Keep sharing your story! Talk to friends and family about why it matters. Share your story on social media, like Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, and other sites. Use hashtags, like #AccessibilityForAll and #InclusionMatters, so more people see it. Follow and share posts from groups that care about the same things you do. Stay involved and keep learning about the issue. 

You might be asked questions like, “Why is this important?” or “How does this affect others?” Practice your answers ahead of time. If you don’t know something, it’s okay to say, “I’m not sure, but I’ll find out.” You can look up the answer later and share what you find. This shows you care and want to keep the conversation going. Always offer to send more information, so they know you’re open to talking with them again. 

You can call the lawmaker, community leader, or other person involved in decision-making. You may also ask for a video meeting. Before you talk, write down the main things you want to say. Practice with a friend or family member so you feel confident. You can also write a short letter or email. Share your story and ask for their help. Add a photo if you want – it helps show why this matters. You can send the same message to more than one person. 

You can also attend rallies and community events that support disability rights or other causes you care about. These events are a great way to meet others, show support, and raise awareness. Sometimes, lawmakers and leaders attend these events too, so it’s a chance to be seen and heard. 

Legislative forums are public meetings where lawmakers listen to people in their community. You can go to learn, listen, or share your story. These forums happen during the lawmaking season and sometimes all year long. You can also attend other public meetings where lawmakers hear from the public. Bring your story and a question to ask. Be polite and thank them for their time. 

The Arc of Washington State provides pathways for people to participate in legislative advocacy. The Arc serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities of all ages and their families.  

PAVE provides downloadable toolkits ready for you, including STEP into Your Voice: A Guide for Young Leaders. For the full list of toolkits, type “toolkit” in the search bar at the top of this page. 

Click on Get Support at the top of this page to submit a Support Request and receive individually tailored support, training, information, and resources.