Corrected on October 4th, to reflect mistake on the name of the “parade” in Concord that occurs on the 5th since the people who lead the organization can’t talk directly!

Because I was out-of-districted in Massachusetts, the only self advocacy I learned was trial-and-error, fumbling and tackling down teachers and management, embarrass them in Section 504 meetings, etc. I was one jaded little teen.

Lots of people I know that vary in this very state are getting ick-ed by the rise of activism masqueraded as self-advocacy

From my understandings, self advocacy was taught on this side of the border more for speaking up for what you need. Self advocacy is an important skill, and sometimes in a political context.

According to people I meet, they often notice my ability to self-advocate, But I can’t speak for others because I used to be a loudmouth ahole, so what do I know?

As I mentioned before, and even for it’s time, it was 2012 when all hell broke loose at the annual conference, and the politicization of disability in the Granite State really started to accelerate. The following year marked the first annual “Leadership” training for people in this field and group to learn a specific principles on advocacy, this meant bootlicking politicians and more and more Concord gatherings, instead of on the grassroots of a skeptical society.

As of this writing, on October 4th there will be a self advocacy conference held by the largest disability activist groups, an organization that’s lost their nuts and moral compass. According to publicly sourced materials, there is a lot in this lesson, attempts to teach this in an appropriate/nuanced manner, but it’s also got the big fancy shamcy, all-about me “breakout sessions” too. A so-called “disability justice parade” occurs on the following day this according to them.

You can see a correlation of people seeing my groups of people on a daily basis in the very few third-places and how the adults-in-the-room are up (or down) in Concord advocating whatever niche issue.

Activism, that is inappropriate times or places of self-advocacy is more and more apparent. More calls for “justice” is becoming a norm, and cries of “ableism” is being chanted more and more. Don’t be surprised to see other activism talking points like “food insecurity” or “voting rights” being violated in New Hampshire on no solid grounds on any locally-specific issues. It’s just more centralized talking points, and there is little (to no) accountability of the systems in power, that is the Department of Education or Department of Health and Human Services. Lots of “concerns” are on the fear of “loosing” things that may not be the end of the world, such as the addition to Supportive Intensive Scale or SIS evaluations (more on this subject in future writings) but fearing the disappearance of Person-Centered Planning.

Nuances are never discussed anymore. In fact even when there is gatherings on the system, they’ll leave out things like Information Technology, since the people there don’t really get tech in the first place and no self-advocate ever questions the IT operations (mostly on software and backend stuff) that is often a talking points in many Town Council meetings in many towns and no one ever gets that overwhelmed.

Today’s self advocacy is to tell SPED management how ableist you are, and you better demand a pony as a therapy animal in your adult day services, and if they don’t meet your demands, well the whole state must be ableist.

It’s not getting any better, it’s only getting worse with buzzwords, and mixing other marginalized groups as if all disabled people are colored or queer. Trying to prevent being taken advantage of is no longer the lessons, but the bigger concern of the system trying to screw you over in the last 13 years has been swept under the rug and you gotta march along!

Lots of people I know that vary in this very state are getting ick-ed by the rise of activism masqueraded as self-advocacy. I have so much to say, but I think this transforming the narrative is a good starting point

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