5/7 #DOnetwork Twitter Chat: Disability Advocacy & Our Public Officials

In partnership, the Disability Organizing (DO) Network, Disability Action Coalition, and the Disability Visibility Project® will host a Twitter chat on disability advocacy with public officials on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, 3-4 pm Pacific. While all participants are welcome, we will focus on disability advocacy in California. We want to hear about your advocacy efforts and the tactics you use with your public officials at the local, state, and federal level.

About

The Disability Organizing (DO) Network is a program of The California Foundation for Independent Living Center (CFILC). The DO Network is a statewide disability advocacy network of 28 Independent Living Centers and the communities they serve. Most ILC’s have a full time staff person devoted to increasing civic participation through community organizing, education and advocacy around issues that affect the Disability Communities.

Website: https://disabilityorganizing.net/

Twitter: @DOnetworkorg

 

California’s Disability Action Coalition (DAC) is the only statewide cross-disability multi-issue coalition that is made up of people with all types of disabilities, disability-run organizations, and allies. Our mission is to organize people with disabilities and allies to protect and advance our civil rights, self-determination and life opportunities. We pursue our mission through education, community building, and advocacy – which culminates in an annual day of Disability community action at the Capitol.

Website: https://disabilityactioncoalition.org

Twitter: @CaliforniaDAC

 

The Disability Visibility Project® is a community partnership with StoryCorps and an online community dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture founded by Alice Wong. Check out the Disability Visibility podcast for episodes about disability issues and culture: https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/podcast-2/

Website: https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/

Twitter: @DisVisibility

 

How to Participate

Follow @DOnetworkorg @CaliforniaDAC and @DisVisibility for the latest information about the chat.

At the time of the chat, click on the ‘Latest’ tab for the hashtag #DOnetwork. This will show you the questions and everyone’s responses in real time.

If you might be overwhelmed by the amount of tweets and only want to see the chat’s questions so you can respond to them, check @DisVisibility’s account.

Another way to participate in the chat is to use this app that allows you to pause the chat if the Tweets are coming at you too fast: http://www.tchat.io/

Here is a link for people who are new to Twitter on starting an account and how to use it:

https://help.twitter.com/en/new-user-faq

Here’s an article about how to participate in a Twitter chat: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat/546805/

Check out this captioned ASL explanation of how to participate in a chat by @behearddc
https://www.facebook.com/HEARDDC/videos/1181213075257528/

 

Introductory Tweets and Questions for the Chat

Welcome to the #DOnetwork chat on disability advocacy with public officials. This chat is co-hosted by @DOnetworkorg @CaliforniaDAC and @DisVisibility. For more about the Disability Organizing Network & DAC: https://disabilityorganizing.net/ https://disabilityactioncoalition.org

Remember to use the hashtag when you tweet. If you respond to a question such as Q1, your tweet should follow this format: “A1 [your message] #DOnetwork” Full disclosure: @DisVisibility is a paid consultant for this chat.

Another way to participate in the #DOnetwork chat is to use this app that allows you to pause the chat if the Tweets are coming at you too fast: http://www.tchat.io/ Feel free to take breaks and join us anytime after the hour.

Q1 Welcome! Please introduce yourself. If you want, share where you are Tweeting from or any links about you, your work, or advocacy #DOnetwork

Q2 How do you define advocacy? What does disability advocacy mean to you? #DOnetwork

Q3 Public officials can include your elected representatives and anyone who works in government. Please share some examples of your interactions with public officials on an issue you care about. #DOnetwork

Q4 Why is it important for people to engage with public officials in their community and have their voices heard? #DOnetwork

Q5 What do you think is important for advocates and organizers to learn about their public officials before interacting and making contact with them? #DOnetwork

Q6 What are some ways disabled people can mobilize with other communities and stakeholders when advocating for change? #DOnetwork

Q7 What are some different ways people can reach out and communicate with public officials? If you face access barriers when advocating, what changes will help? #DOnetwork

Q8 For people who may be new to interacting with public officials, what is your advice on how to get started and where can they go for support? #DOnetwork

This concludes our #DOnetwork chat on disability advocacy & our public officials. We will have other chats coming up in 2019. For more, follow @Donetworkorg’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DOnetwork.org/ For more on @CaliforniaDAC: https://disabilityactioncoalition.org

A compilation of Tweets from this chat will be up shortly, check the hashtag. Don’t forget to sign up to the #DONetwork for the latest news & events: https://disabilityorganizing.net/

Thank you for joining us today & please keep the conversation going!