Connecting People To Challenge What’s Comfortable
Systems Advocacy
Discover Your Power!
SEMCIL is here to connect you with others and the tools needed to effect positive change on the issues that matter most to you. Let’s make change happen together.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Systems advocacy is about raising awareness to problems. It is about defending rights. It is about fighting for meaningful solutions. Systems advocacy aims to change attitudes, policies, rules, and laws. Systems advocacy happens when people work together to make change for a whole group.
Individual advocacy refers to support provided to one person to help them set and meet goals. It could also resolve a specific problem for one person. SEMCIL staff partner with people to help them know their options and make the best choices for themselves.
A disability activist (or advocate) is a person who believes in change. They take action to make change. They have a disability. They are directly affected by attitudes, policies, rules, laws, or barriers.
Everyone else is an ally! An ally is a person who is not directly affected by the issue, believes change is needed, and supports people with disabilities leading change.
You decide how you want to participate. At SEMCIL, it is critical to our systems advocacy support that people with disabilities lead change.
Anybody and everybody! The only thing needed is a commitment to making positive changes for yourself and others. The biggest changes in history are the result of everyday people coming together.
You may want to get involved because you are experiencing a problem or see others who are experiencing a problem that you would like to help solve. Connecting with others creates momentum for change. Bringing your power, skills, and resources to a group can help tip the balance of power to make change happen.
- There are many ways to get involved. A few examples include:
- Connect and build relationships with people who have similar concerns
- Register to vote
- Search for organizations that support specific causes you care about the most
- Reach out to your elected officials who represent you
- Contact SEMCIL to explore more options!
Systems Advocacy
SEMCIL is here to bring people together, share our skills, and help the disability community build power to make change happen. Systems advocacy is for everyone. Depending on who you are, there are two main roles: activist and ally.
Contact US
Find Your Elected Officials
Elected officials are the people voted into office by you. Officials elected represent you and make important decisions that will impact your life. They make decisions on housing, services, food access, work, and so much more. It is important to know who represents you. Elected officials have the job of listening to you and making positive changes on your behalf. Find your elected officials on our Systems Advocacy Rescource page.
Voting Information
Voting is your right as an American citizen. It is also a way to exercise your power. Choosing who represents you is important. Your county commissioner, city officials, judges, state legislators and federal legislators make the policies, rules, and laws that directly impact your life.
To find out more about how to vote, when to vote, where to find assistance, and other great information, view the Secretary of State’s website.
Issue Briefs & Resources
What are the barriers you want the public to know more about? We would like to hear from you! We are building a library of materials on disability specific issues. These documents can be used and shared to build awareness, educate the public and advocate when communicating with elected officials.
There are big problems to break down into specific issues and highlight solutions. Please reach out to us at semcil@semcil.org to share your ideas.
Advocacy Agenda
An advocacy agenda is a description of specific issues that we identify that need action. This agenda helps us identify what action elected officials need to take (or not take). The advocacy agenda is built by our community. We want to know what the issues are and what positions you support.
Please contact us at semcil@semcil.org to share your ideas.