Cover Stories

Following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic and a strenuous election year, Georgia's 2023 legislative session was full of profound strides forward as well as unforeseen setbacks for the intellectual disability and developmental disability (ID/DD) community.

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.

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.

Evan Nodvin is 43, he lives in an apartment in Atlanta, works at Canterbury Court retirement community in Buckhead, and loves to watch University of Georgia sports. “Go Dawgs!” Nodvin, who has Down syndrome, was born and raised in Atlanta,

Synergies Work, a business incubator for people with disabilities, is expanding its offerings to help even more new entrepreneurs start their businesses. Synergies Work was founded by Aarti Sahgal, a parent of a young adult with Down Syndrome. “The last

What to Expect Under the Gold Dome Georgia’s 2023 legislative session is set to be one of historic change as many of the top leadership positions at the Georgia State Capitol will now have new representation for the first time

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

Disability rights advocates across the state of Georgia are getting ready for the November elections. Leaders in the disability community are working to ensure that every voter with disabilities is registered, educated, and prepared to exercise their right to vote.

“D’Arcy, welcome home.” T hose words feel so right. That was how I was greeted at one of the first meetings I attended in my new role as Executive Director of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). While this

School is out. Summer is here. People are enjoying time at the pool or finding places to stay cool. Day programs are open, vacations are being taken, and summer camps are in full effect. People are ready for COVID-19 to

As students head back to school, education is top of mind for parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While special education provides opportunities for students to excel, there are often many obstacles that families and students face when

Students enrolled in the GOALS program at Columbus State University (CSU) are getting critical opportunities for real work experiences at the start of their inclusive college careers. Guidance and Opportunities for Academic and Leadership Success (GOALS) at CSU is a

Summer is a time when children get a break from rigorous school schedules and academics. They usually have more time for self-directed, play-based activities that fit their strengths and interests. For parents of children with developmental disabilities, it can be

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

Georgia’s 2022 legislative session was defined by the effects of a lingering pandemic and looming elections. Most of our advocacy efforts and each of our three Advocacy Days were virtual. Although “the ropes” at the Capitol were not open to

Starting October 1, 2021, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) kicked off its new Five Year Strategic Plan that set the goals which the Council aims to complete between 2022-2026. The federal government requires all Developmental Disabilities Councils to

Living Independently is an article series by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). The series will cover self-determination and self-direction. Participant self-directed services are growing in popularity as an avenue that can offer an increased autonomy for some individuals

Join advocates from across the state to learn about policies impacting people with disabilities and advocate for needed funding and legislation this year. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) needs your help to educate Georgia’s lawmakers about topics important

While the pandemic has played a key role in every aspect of life for the last 20 months, employment has been one of the most severely impacted elements. In a shifting economy, some workers have thrived, others pivoted, and many

Living Independently is an article series by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). The series will cover self-determination and self-direction. Jenny Pryor lives an active life working in a Kroger supermarket, hiking on her off days or sometimes catching

Georgia’s hot and sticky summer is finally coming to a close. The leaves are changing, the weather is starting to get that nice cool and crisp feeling, and now it’s time to get ready for fall. Here at the Georgia

As the new school year approaches in August, teachers, administrators, parents and students are pondering many of the same questions about what a return to “normal” will look like. Factors around physical spaces, classmates and schedules are under scrutiny, as

Treasure Maps: The Georgia Storytelling Roadshow 2021, hosted by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities and L’Arche Atlanta, kicked off on June 18 to creatively showcase 10 Georgia storytellers’ personal viewpoints into what it’s like living with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD)

In this Education edition of Public Policy for the People, we will be focusing on the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE)’s plans to spend the dollars provided to the state’s educational system through the American Rescue Plan Act. These funds

In October 2020, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) collected public input data from over 300 respondents across the state. For those respondents, the number one barrier to improving the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families

Over 550 disability advocates registered to virtually attend the 2021 GCDD Advocacy Days – the first time the DD council has hosted the days exclusively online since the initiative’s inception. Hosted by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) in

In March 2020, we experienced the world come to a glaring and hard stop. Now in 2021, things are slowly opening back up, including the Georgia State Capitol. Legislative session feels, looks and is different for everyone this year. We

When family members of people with disabilities join forces, they work to promote and protect the best interests of their loved ones, making sure their voices are heard and their rights are protected. Seeing more and more families become active

Hello, advocates! We are so excited to be preparing for another legislative session. Slated to begin on January 11, the session will go for 40 non-consecutive days, which marks the start of a new biennial legislative session. What’s New With

As many of you might remember, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) introduced a legislative agenda that focused on “disability in ALL policy” for the first time during Georgia’s 2020 legislative session. Our idea for this type of legislative

On June 16, 2020, Governor Brian Kemp announced Chris Wells as the new executive director of the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA). The agency has been undergoing re-organization for the past five years, meaning it has been in a state

There’s a lot of information out there. Here’s how to make sure you’re prepared to make your vote count. Cheri Mitchell is a member of the HAVA (Help America Vote Act) Team at the Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO). Here are

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

When Joshua Williams walked the graduation stage with his peers in 2014, he received a standing ovation. He didn’t know what the big deal was, his mother Mitzi Proffitt recalls. After returning for another year to complete a math credit

Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) Legislative Advocacy Director Charlie Miller interviewed Mark Johnson, renowned disability advocate and former director of advocacy at the Shepherd Center, on what it was like to advocate for the Americans with Disabilities Act, what

Welcome to our official 2020 legislative recap. This session can only be described as a roller coaster, with plenty of highs and lows. For starters, no one could have predicted we would not have a recap for you all until

Viviana Fernandez purchased a home in Snellville when her son, Cameron, was entering the first grade. Shortly after enrolling him at Britt Elementary, she received a call advising that he be moved to a separate school for kids with disabilities.

Over 650 disability advocates registered to attend the 2020 GCDD Advocacy Days at the Georgia State Capitol – making it the biggest series the DD Council has hosted since inception of the initiative. Hosted by the Georgia Council on Developmental

This has been one of the most interesting legislative sessions we have seen in modern times. Between Governor Brian Kemp’s first installment of recommended budget cuts and the threat of COVID-19, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) has been

As far as gender reveals go, this was a simple one. No cupcakes with pink or blue centers, no boxes of helium-filled balloons. Erin and David Nobles had agreed to a genetic test, suggested because of her late-age pregnancy, but

Join the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) at the Georgia State Capitol in downtown Atlanta during the 2020 legislative session to learn about policies affecting people with disabilities, and join advocates from across the state in speaking with elected

Starting on Monday, January 13, 2020, the Georgia General Assembly will begin its race towards the finish line. The Georgia Constitution only grants the assembly 40 days to complete all its work. While the days do not have to be