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Picture of Eric Jacobson for Winter Viewpoint Issue

Hello 2021!

I am sure we are all happy to see 2020 leave and a new year begin. We have seen a virus take over our daily lives. Many Americans protested in the streets as Black men have been murdered by the police. People lost their jobs as restaurants and shops closed. And we experienced the most divided presidential election ever. It was a year of unprecedented strain, and I, for one, am glad it is over!

Nanditha posing wearing an orange shirt.

When Hobby Becomes Career

Nandi – short for Nanditha – is finally home. She has lived in a variety of places, some better than others. Nandi gets emotional as she recalls painful experiences from her group home life – in one instance being told

Graphic of a man in a wheelchair in a workspace shaking hands with another coworker.

Keeping Employment First

The following is an edited excerpt from the Expert Update interview led by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) on employment for people with disabilities. Kate Brady: There have been tremendous budget cuts in Georgia, which have resulted in

GCDD Receives Five Year Strategic Plan Feedback from Disability Community

The Five Year Strategic Plan determines how the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) will allocate funding to create systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members through advocacy and capacity building activities. During the months of August

Welcoming Community Dialogue Groups Host Virtual Retreat and Summit

Twenty-seven community advocates for inclusion and change from the Real Communities Partnership (RCP) and the Welcoming Communities Dialogues (WCD) groups gathered virtually from August 19 to 21 for their annual retreat. For those three days, the work centered around their

Photo of the White House with sky blue background. Fall 2020.

What’s Happening in Washington?

These past few months have seen a number of starts and stops in negotiations on a new Congressional COVID-19 relief package, and we expect a busy fall ahead as this Congress wraps up. COVID-19 Response Congressional Response: Congress passed three

The Disability Vote Counts!

In this edition of Public Policy for the People, we will be focusing on the upcoming 2020 election, which sees key national and state seats up for grabs. This election will certainly be one for the history books, as much

Exercise Your Voting Rights

Uniting for Change is a grassroots network of self-advocates that is growing the self-advocacy movement in Georgia. Along with family members, allies and supporters, self-advocates work on “uniting Georgians and influencing change by speaking up and taking control of our

Albany Tech Takes a L.E.A.P. for Students with I/DD

Regina Watts is the special needs and disability services coordinator at Albany Technical College and the director of Leveraging Education for Advancement Program (L.E.A.P.), the school’s inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) program. Watts started the program shortly after arriving at Albany

Picture of Eric Jacobson for Fall Viewpoint Issue

A Time of Opportunity

As we move closer to 2021, we can either look at this time with regret and sadness – or as a time of opportunity. Though battling COVID-19 has meant being away from friends and family, new technology allows us to be together even when we are far apart. We at the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) have learned so much from YOU, those who continue to participate in the bi-weekly Georgia Developmental Disabilities Network COVID-19 Zoom sessions or the weekly Community Strong virtual gatherings.