Advocacy done right: Irene Tanzman on VOR's 2024 Legislative Initiative

Irene Tanzman is the mother of a son with severe autism from Massachusetts:

"In this video, I describe the experience of the 2024 VOR (Voice of Reason) legislative initiative. I go into detail about what we did, how we were trained, and what legislation we promoted. For anyone thinking about legislative advocacy for individuals with severe/profound intellectual disabilities and/or severe/profound autism, this is a must-see video. The VOR legislative initiative is bootcamp for legislative advocates. There is no better training for legislative advocacy than experiencing the VOR legislative initiative."

VOR's 2024 Legislative Initiative was held from May 7-9, 2024. I was not able to go this year, but I share Irene's enthusiasm for the experience of meeting directly with legislators and their aides in Washington, DC. and with other family advocates, most of whom have family members with severe to profound intellectual disabilities. 

The most important message that VOR is advancing in its legislative initiative is that listening to families is of primary importance in crafting legislation and policy that serves and protects people with IDD.

You will hear Irene get into the nitty gritty of preparing to talk to legislators and how grueling and exhilarating the experience can be. Educating yourself and others is the first benefit of this advocacy, but it also instills confidence that your own experience with living with disabilities is a powerful message to legislators.

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VOR materials shared with congressional staffers during the VOR 2024 Legislative Initiative.