Tennessee Disability Coalition "How to Advocate in the time of COVID" Training Session "How to Advocate in the time of COVID" Agenda 1. The Coalition's History 2. The Coalition's Policy, Programs & Grant 3. How a Bill Becomes a Law 4. Meeting with Legislators Virtually 5. Participating in Legislative Session and Committee Action 6. Activism on Social Media 7. Learning from Thought Leaders and Political Pundits The Coalition's History 1989 First Grant Funding 1990 Carol! 1991 Family Support Act 2020 30 Years Policy, Programs, Grant How a Bill Becomes a Law in Tennessee 1. A bill is introduced 2. Numbered and passed on consideration 3. Referred to committee 4. Heard in committee - intro and debate, recalled or recommended for passage by consent 5. Referred to calendar 6. Passed on third consideration 7. Engrossed 8. Companion bills are reconciled (if necessary) 9. Enrolled, signed, assigned PC number and incorporated into code Meeting with Legislators Virtually - Jason Rogers Jason Rogers is a seasoned advocate who has participated in Disability Day on the Hill for the past several years Through advocacy on the hill, he has formed good relationships with his state representatives In 2017, Jason starred in our short video demonstrating how to have a successful meeting with your state legislator - which is still featured on the Tennessee Disability Coalition website He is a 2018 graduate of the Lipscomb University IDEAL Program He loves to water ski, cycle and snow ski His favorite food is Mexican We are so glad to have you with us today to share your experience as a self-advocate, thank you for joining us Jason! JASON: Hello, My name is Jason Rogers. Today I am going to share with you some tips for meeting with your legislators in a virtual environment. Know your legislator •Senator Bo Watson- Hamilton County •Physical Therapist •Bow ties •Chair: Finance, Ways and Means •Chair: Rules Committee •Member: Commerce & Labor •Member: Health & Welfare •Member: Joint Fiscal Review Committee It’s important to know about your legislator so you can share with him or her. Senator Watson lives in Chattanooga, where I live. I know Bo Watson is a physical therapist, like my mom. I know Bo always wears a bow tie, so I wear a bow tie when I meet with him. Bo sits on the Health and Welfare committee, which is responsible for Voc Rehab He also is the chairperson of the Finance committee, which means that he decides how to spend the states’ money. He is someone I want to talk to about issues that are important to me. Be Prepared •Write down key points •Practice what you are going to say •Respect the 5 – 15 minute time limit •Focus on a single issue or bill •Be concise and use time wisely Jason: Be Prepared! You will not have time to discuss everything that is important to you, so focus on 1 issue or a single bill. My main issue at this time is transportation, but in the past, I have spoken to my legislators about housing and employment as well. Share YOUR Personal Story •Briefly tell them about yourself so they get to know you •Don’t be intimidated – they work for you •You are the expert on your needs •Spend most of your time on the issue you want to discuss Jason Share your personal story! I like talking to people, and I want to get to know them, but I also want them to know something about me. Sharing something about myself helps relax me, and makes it easier to express my points. In my case, I would tell them that I live independently, that I have a job, but that I need transportation to get to work, church, meetings, and social activities. So here is an example of meeting with your legislator on zoom (Play video) Meeting virtually vs. Meeting Face to Face What’s Different? So what’s different about meeting virtually? First, you need to practice using Zoom or other technology. Do a practice run with a friend, family member or caretaker. Be familiar with the mute and video buttons. Be sure your WiFi can support the technology. Be on time! Set up in a quiet space with no distractions (no pets, no TV, turn your phone on silent, do not eat, and look into the camera) •Dress appropriately •Be courteous •Introduce yourself – who you are, the issue you want to discuss and that you are from their district. •Don’t forget to listen •It’s ok to disagree •Thank them! Meeting virtually vs. Meeting face to face. What’s the same? So what’s the same meeting virtually? Dress appropriately! For women that may be a nice sweater and slacks or skirt, For men, a shirt and tie Be polite – use good manners, arrive on time, be nice Introduce yourself – tell them your name, that you are from their district, and the issue you want to discuss today. Remember, this is a conversation between 2 people, so both people need to talk listen and share their ideas If the 2 of you disagree, be polite and respectful. At the end of your meeting, be sure to thank them for their time. Follow up with an email or handwritten note. (I know Senator Watson likes real letters) You may want to take a screenshot during your meeting, and send that picture to them along with the thank you note. Together We Can Make a Difference http://www.volunteerweekly.org/your-story/even-the-smallest-voice-can-make-a-difference-in-a-big-way-2/ Together, we CAN make a difference! Each time you do this it gets easier. Have someone you trust with you for the first time. Thank you for listening today. Participating in Legislative Session and Committee Action - Amanda How Legislators Talk About Issues that Matter TN State Legislators meet in committees Committees focus on a specific issue like “Education” It’s important to pay attention to committee work because they talk about issues that will affect us The TN General Assembly Website is: www.capitol.tn.gov Follow the issues that matter to you by following those legislative committees There is a House and Senate version of most committees Committee Membership - legislators who meet as part of this committee Committee Officers have been chosen to lead this committee You can reach out to these legislators to talk about the issues that the committee is meeting on 1. From the main Committee page: click on Current Committee Calendar 2. Calendar for this week’s committee meeting with a list of bills they plan to talk about 3. Click on a bill # to learn more 4. This will open a new page that has information about the bill sponsors, bill text and the path the bill has taken through the state legislature up to today If you care about this issue, you can contact the bill sponsors 1. From the main Committee page: click on Current Weekly Schedule 2. Find out when the committee is meeting this week or next week 1. From the main Committee page: click on Video 2. You can watch the recording of past committee meetings. 3. If want to watch a live committee meeting, you can click the icon “In Progress” or “View Event” 3. This will open a new window with the live streaming video of the committee meeting. On the bottom of the screen, the bill they are currently talking about is listed On the right-hand side is the committee calendar for this meeting Summary: What’s Available on the Committee Page List of Committee Members (who meets to talk about this issue) Current Committee Calendar (what they’ll be talking about in their meeting) Current weekly schedule (when they’ll be meeting) Video - watch live or past meetings Bocce & Policymaking are Team Sports Activism on Social Media - Chyna Social Media Takes Us FURTHER The easiest way to show your support for people with disabilities and to get your legislator's attention is to participate on social media. SPREAD AWARENESS by sharing content from disability thought leaders. STAY ALERT by following local disability groups that notify you to policy changes. TAKE ACTION ON DISABILITY ISSUES by commenting, tagging and direct messaging your local government and elected officials. SPEAK UP by signing and sharing digital petitions in opposition or support of a piece of legislation. SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES by creating original posts about challenges (accessibility issues, confusing informational materials, etc) and tagging your representatives. PLUS tag us @tndisability and we will share your posts! What Makes a good social post? Short, clear, and personal message Eye-catching video & photos Hashtags that are relevant to the conversation She tagged the Coalition and the Dept of Health to increase the chance that the post will get shared further. The Basics on Hashtags Including hashtags in your posts means that you are taking part in a conversation happening on social media. They make your posts visible to non-followers. Do NOT use spaces, punctuation or symbols. Do NOT string too many words together. The best hashtags are short and memorable. Use relevant and popular hashtags. If it is too obscure, it will be hard to find. Limit the number of hashtags you use. More isn’t better. Make sure your accounts are public. Otherwise only your followers see your posts. TOP DISABILITY HASHTAGS #disability #disabilityrights #disabilityawareness #invisibledisability #inclusion #disabilitypride #disabilityjustice #disabilitybenefits TOP POLITICAL HASHTAGS #TNleg #TN #cripthevote #tenncare #medicare #TNpol #TNpolitics #TNsenate #COVID19 #systemic Leaders in State Government to FOLLOW & TAG Governor Bill Lee @GovBillLee Lt. Governor Randy McNally @ltgovmcnally Speaker of the TN House of Representatives Cameron Sexton Twitter: @CSexton25 FB @cameronsextontn PLUS Your local representatives work for you! Look them up and stay connected: https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/Apps/fmlv3/lookup.aspx Advocacy Areas to follow & tag EDUCATION PENNY SCHWINN COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Twitter @TNedu Facebook @TennesseeEducation Email: Commissioner.Schwinn@tn.gov ELECTIONS & VOTING TREY HARGETT SECRETARY OF STATE Twitter: @sectrehargett Facebook: @TennesseeSecretaryofState Instagram: @tnsecofstate Email: Tre.Hargett@tn.gov EMPLOYMENT JEFF McCORD COMMISSIONER, LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Twitter: @JeffMcCordTN INTELLECTUAL & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY SERVICES BRAD TURNER COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF DIDD Twitter: @BradTurnerDIDD Facebook & Instagram: @tndidd Email: Brad.Turner@tn.gov VOCATIONAL REHAB SERVICES CLARENCE H. CARTER COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES Twitter: @TNHumanServices Facebook: @tennesseedepartmentofhumanservices TRANSPORTATION CLAY BRIGHT COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Twitter: @TDOTCommish Email: @clay.bright@tn.gov HOUSING RALPH PERREY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TENNESSEE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT Twitter: @TN_Housing_Dev Facebook: @TNHousing MEDICAID SUPPORTS & SERVICES BUREAU OF TENNCARE Twitter & Instagram: @tenncarerep Facebook: @TennCare Email: Tenn.Care@tn.gov HEALTH CARE TN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Twitter, Facebook & Instagram: @TNDeptofHealth Email: tn.health@tn.gov Disability Day on the Hill social post Fill out this form (link in Social Media Toolkit): www.tfaforms.com/4875746 We will send you a complete graphic! Image of Chyna's social post Listening, liking and sharking go a long way on social media! Learning From Thought-Leaders and Political Pundits - Courtney Courtney Johnson is a 24 year old autistic adult with multiple disabilities who lives in Johnson City, Tennessee. As a disability rights advocate, she founded her university's first student-led social and advocacy-based organization dedicated to students with intellectual, developmental, and cognitive cognitions, served as a family advocate for IEP meetings, has presented at multiple conferences and university class lectures, attended the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network's ACI advocacy program in Washington DC, and has been the Tennessee site coordinator for the Disability Day of Mourning four years in a row. She writes on her website, helps advise families on a variety of topics, and is currently a participant in the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities' Partners in Policymaking Program. What is a "Thought-Leader"? An individual or organization that is recognized as an authority in a specialized field and whose expertise is sought. What is a “Political Pundit?” A person who offers to mass media their opinion or commentary on political analysis for which they are knowledgeable and/or considered a scholar. In other words – an expert. 1. MEDIA State Government Reporters Opinion Editors 2. Disability Advocates Disability Advocacy Organizations Individual Disability Advocates 3. Hashtag Campaigns & Other Relevant Influence MEDIA State Legislative Reporters Why follow State Government Reporters They help us understand complex policy issues They raise awareness of Tennesseans impacted by those complex policy issues through their stories. They keep us up-to-date on general information and updates about the General Assembly These are the folks that cover the legislature for a state-wide audience. Who to follow State Government Reporters Natalie Allison Tennessean @natalie_allison Erik Schelzig Tennessee Journal @schelzig Sam Stockard Tennessee Lookout @stockardsam Kimberlee Kruesi Associated Press @kkruesi MEDIA Local Statehouse Reporters Why follow local statehouse reporters: They help us understand how a state policy will impact us on a local level. They often reach out to followers on social media for a local-person to provide commentary on an issue and/or share their story. They cover local representatives more closely. Who to follow local statehouse reporters: Andy Sher Chattanooga Times Free Press @AndySher1 Stephen Elliott Nashville Post @elliottstephenB Slater Teague WJHL Johnson City @sl8rt Ian Round Daily Memphian @raniound MEDIA Opinion & Editorial or "Op-ed" What is an “OpEd?” Short for "opinions and editorials page", is a written piece published by a newspaper which expresses the opinion of an author usually not affiliated with the outlet. In other words – by a reader. Why write and oped? They provide an opportunity to voice your opinion on a public way. They help raise awareness of issues that impact us. They are often shared/retweeted by like-minded followers. Meet self-advocate & columnist Courtney Johnson Why follow opinion & editorial? Local and community outlets in your legislators’ district. Legislators pay special attention to the news outlets within their districts because their constituents read them. Who to follow state opinion & editorial David Plazas The Tennessean @davidplazas Alex Hubbard The Tennessean @alexhubbard7 Holly McCall Tennessee Lookout @jhollymc Erik Schelzig Tennessee Journal @schelzig Why follow local opinion & editorial Rep. Cameron Sexton, Speaker House District 25 Crossville Sen. Rusty Crowe Senate District 3 Johnson City Meet Assistant Opinion Editor for the Tennessean, Alex Hubbard (Video plays) Disability Advocates: Individuals & Organizations: Who to Follow Disability Advocacy Organizations Tennessee Disability Coalition @tndisabilty Disability Rights TN @tnrights Tennessee Justice Center @tnjusticcenter Who to follow Disability Advocates: Alice Wong Disability Visibility Project @sfdirewolf @disvisibility Andrew Pulrang Advocate & Forbes Contributor @andrewpulrang Vilissa Thompson RampYourVoice.com @vilissathompson Maria Rabaino BeBoundless, & Rollettes @mariarabaino Judy Huemann Disabiltiy Rights Icon & Author @judithheumann Who to follow Diagnosis/Independent Living Organizations: American Liver Foundation @liverUSA AutismTN @Autism_TN ALS Association TN @ALSTennessee EmpowerTN @Empower_TN JDRF Middle Tennessee @JDRFMidTN #hashtags HASHTAGS TO FOLLOW Disability Advocacy & Campaigns #CripTheVote #highriskCOVID19 #LetsGoFurtherTN #DDH2021 #TheBarriersWeFace #AbleismExists #ActuallyAutistic #DeafTalent #ServiceDog #Spoonie #InvisibleIllness #DisaBodyPosi WHO TO FOLLOW Diagnosis/Independent Living Organizations Autistic Self-Advocacy Network @autselfadvocacy National Council on Independent Living @NCILAdvocacy Rooted in Rights @RootedInRights Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered @SARTACenter #ActuallyAutistic #Autistic Let's Go Further NEXT STEPS Advocacy Toolkit Overview Register for Town Hall on 3/11 at Noon CT Not too late to schedule a virtual meeting with legislators Text "FURTHER" to 72690 Anniversary of the signing of the ADA 72690 = July 26, 1990 (Play campaign video) www.tndisability.org