Cover Stories

Select Issue
Show All
Fall 2020
Summer 2020
Spring 2020
Winter 2020
Winter 2021
Spring 2021
Summer 2021
Fall 2021
Winter 2022
Spring 2022
Summer 2022
Fall 2022
Winter 2023
Spring 2023
 
Sort By None Sort By Date Sort By Title

Public Policy for The People: GCDD’s Vision for Georgia’s Disability Community in the 2024 Legislative Session

By Charlotte Densmore
January 8, 2024
Hello! My name is Charlotte Densmore. I joined the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) as the Public Policy Director in August 2023. My involvement in disability advocacy originated from my work as a mentor with the EXCEL (Expanding Career,

How Policy and Advocacy is Changing Employment for People with Developmental Disabilities

By Arlinda Smith Broady
September 29, 2023
When Georgia legislator Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta, heard from a constituent that there were residents making as little as 22 cents an hour, she had to do a double take. “It seems like that is something out of the 1800s when we didn't have child labor laws and they had children working for six cents an hour. It’s just antiquated,” she said. Cooper gathered her team to research the issue and discovered that low wages for people with disabilities isn’t just a common practice, it’s part of federal law.

Saving the Direct Support Professional: The Heartbeat of The I/DD Community

By Mara Waldruff
September 28, 2023
“The world will be missing out if we don’t do what is necessary. And we clearly have shown that what is necessary are these Direct Support Professionals,” remarked Pam Walley, executive director of Georgia Options. “We're going to miss out on the contributions of a lot of really talented, wonderful, giving, creative, amazing people,” she added.

Judy Heumann’s Legacy Lives On

By Maria Pinkelton
April 13, 2023
On March 4, 2023, the disability rights movement lost one of its pioneers when Judy Heumann passed away suddenly at the age of 75. Her international fight for rights for people with disabilities spanned her entire life and began at the age of five when she was denied the right to attend school as administration considered her a fire hazard.

The Next Generation of Advocacy

By Wes Nelson, Devika Rao and Laura Schroeder
April 4, 2023
One of the most effective ways to transcend ideas of equity and justice is through the teachings of those who came before us. A movement is only as strong as the lived experience of its advocates and allies. In the world of disability rights, history has laid a solid foundation, but young people are the key to continued progress.

Your Vote Counts!

By Naomi D. Williams
October 12, 2022
Georgians will head to the polls in November to cast ballots for candidates in the general election. There are several seats that candidates are eagerly pursuing and seeking your vote. As demonstrated in the 2018 gubernatorial election, and even more

GCDD’s COVID-19 Initiatives & Updates

By Naomi D. Williams and Hilary Vece
April 13, 2022
Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is still actively collaborating with community partners and funding initiatives to support the developmental disability community throughout the state. Through education, outreach, and opportunity, GCDD is working