Winter Issue 2023

Engaging in Advocacy

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Current Feature Stories

Georgia’s 2023 Legislative Session: A Season of Change

By Alyssa Miller, PsyD
January 10, 2023
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

Synergies Work Expands Opportunities to Encourage Representation in Entrepreneurship

By Hilary Vece
January 10, 2023
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

GCDD Council Member Evan Nodvin Lives Life on His Own Terms

By Hilary Vece
January 10, 2023
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,

GCDD Viewpoint

Una foto de la cabeza de D'arcy Robb, una mujer blanca sonriente con cabello castaño hasta los hombros, que lleva una blusa. florido sin mangas

D’Arcy Robb
GCDD Executive Director

2023—GCDD’s Work Continues!

One of our time-honored beliefs at the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is “no numbers without stories, no stories without numbers.” It’s not enough for us to present data, nor is it enough to tell great compelling stories. To

Current Topics

Remembering Lois Curtis: Friends and Advocates Reflect on Life with Lois and the Doors She Opened

By Hilary Vece
January 10, 2023
Olmstead v. L.C. is the Supreme Court case that provided what is now known as the Olmstead decision. In 1999, Lois Curtis—the L.C. in Olmstead v. L.C.—and Elaine Wilson, two women with disabilities living in Georgia institutions, successfully argued in

Inclusively Uses Technology to Build Diverse Workforce with Inclusive Accommodations

By Hilary Vece
January 10, 2023
Inclusively is a workforce inclusion platform connecting job seekers with employers who are committed to attracting and retaining previously hidden talent. “Diverse organizations lead their peers across multiple business indicators including 22% lower turnover rates, 28% higher revenue, and 39%

Albany Technical College’s Leveraging Education for Advancement Program Provides Opportunities for Students of All Abilities

By Hilary Vece
January 10, 2023
Albany Technical College (ATC) provides unique opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to continue their education after high school through inclusive post secondary education (IPSE). IPSE programs like ATC’s Leveraging Education for Advancement Program (LEAP)  are gaining

Developing the Next Generation of Advocate Leaders with Project SETA

By Hilary Vece
January 10, 2023
Project SETA (Students Enhancing Their Advocacy) is preparing the next generation of leaders with developmental disabilities through the New Leaders grant from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). Project SETA is a leadership development program for current inclusive post

Cow Tipping Press Joins GCDD’s Storytelling Project

By Maria Pinkelton
January 10, 2023
What began in 2018 as an opportunity for Georgians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to share stories with their legislators has become a robust collection of photographs, written stories, audio conversations, and films displaying the diverse array of experiences

Georgia’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

By Hilary Vece
January 10, 2023
Mark Crenshaw is the Assistant Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD) at Georgia State University and the Training Director for Georgia’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (GaLEND) program. The LEND program was originally established 50 years ago

Advocates Prepare for the 2023 Legislative Session

By Charlie Miller
January 10, 2023
Hello Advocates, The Georgia General Assembly is preparing for another legislative session coming up in January. The Georgia Legislative session will start the second Tuesday of January and go until early or mid-April. During Georgia’s Legislative session, the state House

COVID-19 Update

By Hilary Vece
January 10, 2023
Since the start of the pandemic, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 41,000 Georgians. While many have largely returned to pre-pandemic activities, it is important to remember that there are still thousands of new cases in Georgia every

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