A Conversation with Keith Ellison and the Disability Community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Matt Roznowski (matt@keithellison.org or 414-839-2560)

Rep. Keith Ellison & ADAPT MN Co-Hosting
Disability Community Conversation



Event will focus on empowerment, inclusion, and voter turnout among people with disabilities

What:

Rep. Keith Ellison and ADAPT Minnesota are bringing the disability community together for a conversation about issues that have a big impact on people with disabilities, such as the voter restriction amendment, PCA funding, and the Community Choice Act.

The conversation will also focus on voting among people with disabilities will empower the community and lead to greater inclusion.

ADAPT MN will be giving Rep. Ellison the 2nd Annual Free Our People Award for his commitment to reaching out and working with people with disabilities to solve problems.

ADAPT Minnesota is a chapter of the national ADAPT. ADAPT is a grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in non-violent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.

Who:

Congressman Keith Ellison (MN-05)

Chris Bell, Attorney [Panelist]

Debra Burke, Executive Director and Founder, Break Thru Home Care [Panelist]

John Tschida, Vice President, Public Affairs and Research, Courage Center [Panelist]

ADAPT MINNESOTA LEADERSHIP TEAM:
Galen Smith
Jay Wilson
Jim Carlisle
Claudia Carlisle
Becky Francin
Darrell Paulsen
Nichole Villavicencio


When:

Tuesday, October 23 from 6:00 – 7:30pm

Where:

Courage Center Atrium
3915 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, MN 55422

--
Matt Roznowski
Communications Director
Re-Elect Keith Ellison for U.S. Congress
Office: (612) 522-4416
matt@keithellison.org

Join Us {ADAPT MN} for a Disability Community Conversation!!

Join Keith Ellison and ADAPT for a Disability Community Conversation

Tuesday, October 23
6:00 - 7:30pm
Courage Center
3915 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, MN 55422


Our panel of experts will talk about issues that have a big impact on the disability community, such as the voter restriction amendment, PCA funding, and the Community Choice Act.

Personal Story: Living Life with having to depend on Personal Care Attendants!

I have lived in Minnesota for over 30 years, coming from ND and I lived in many institutions in my time. Some institutions were very bad and some not so bad.

My dream was always to live independently, but had so many people against it. Some were afraid that I couldn’t live by myself or they knew I could do it, but were afraid I would be bored and hate it and I would have to wait for a while to get back into an institution again.

Much to people’s dismay, I loved living independently and loved my own independence.

I couldn’t have done it without the help of the Personal Care Attendant Program. Without this wonderful program a lot of people would be stuck in some type of nursing home.  

Now my husband and I live together and we use shared PCA services.

My husband, Jim built our home from ground up in 1996. We both have very involved cerebral palsy. although we are very active people. We can be very active because of our Personal Care Attendants. Without these people, we would not be able to live in the community. We would be in nursing homes rotting away and costing taxpayers a lot more money.

Many of us (people with disabilities) are taxpayers, too. Having these attendants is not a luxury, it is a necessity! If the state starts cutting our hours you are taking away our willingness to live!

This Personal Care Attendant Program allows us to be a part of society in which we live in. We are able to work, go on vacations and all that a person would do if they didn’t have a disability.

~Claudia Carlisle