Meeting's are held on the last Thursday of each month, at Aim's Community College's Student Center from 6:30p.m. - 8:30p.m.  During the Summer Months the business meetings will be on a to be arranged schedule and social activities will be substituted.
	Meeting's include a business agenda and following the business meeting there is an opportunity for social time and refreshments.
	Membership dues are $5.00 per year.

  DANCES

 

	Dances are held on the first and third Thursday of each month.
	Dances are held at the Community Resource Center in Evans, Colorado.  Address is 3700 Golden Street, Evans, Colorado.
	Dances begin at 6:30p.m. and end at 8:30p.m.
	People First membership is required to attend.

For membership information and for any additional questions, please contact Bill Hirsch at 351-6029.

People First Language describes what a person HAS, not what a person IS!! People First Language puts the person before the disability!!

The Disability Rights Movement is following in the footsteps of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and the Women's Movement of the 1970's. While people with disabilities and advocates work to end discrimination and segregation in education, employment, and our communities at large, we must all work to eliminate the prejudicial language that creates an invisible barrier to inclusion in the mainstream of life.

Disability is a natural part of the human experience... U.S. Developmental Disabilities Act and the Bill of Rights Act, 1993

Disability is not the problem.  We need to rid our vocabulary of the word problem when talking about peoples needs.  A person with glasses doesn't say, I have a problem seeing.  She says, I wear or need glasses.  Recognize that what we call a problem is actually a need.

The real problems are attitudinal and environmental barriers.  It's time that we understand the power of language.  When we misuse words, we reinforce the barriers created by negative and stereotypical attitudes.  When we refer to people with disabilities by medical diagnoses, we devalue and disrespect them as members of the human race.  Disability labels are simply sociopolitical terms that provide a passport to services.  For too long, labels have been used to define the value and potential of people who are labeled.

People will live up or down to our expectations.  If we expect people with disabilities to succeed, we cannot let labels stand in their way.  We must not let labels destroy the hopes and dreams of people with disabilities and their families.

Using handicapped and even disabled, typically evokes negative feelings and creates a stereotypical perception that people with disabilities are all alike.  All people who have brown hair are not alike.  All people with disabilities are not alike.  In fact, people with disabilities are more like people without disabilities than different!!

The disability community is the largest minority group in our nation, and it's all inclusive!  It includes people of both genders and of all ages, as well as individuals from all religions, ethnic backgrounds, and socioeconomic levels.  About the only things people with disabilities have in common with one another are (1) having a body part that is different & (2) facing prejudice and discrimination.  Unique to the disability community is that it's the only minority group that anyone can join in the split second of an accident.

If and when it happen to you... will you have more in common with others with disabilities or with your family, friends, and co-workers!  Many people who do not now have a disability will have one in the future.  Others will have a family member or friend who acquires a disability.  If you acquire a disability in your lifetime, how will you want to be described!  How will you want to be treated? Disability issues are issues that affect everyone!

Using People First Language is a crucial issue. If people with disabilities are to be included in all aspects of our communities, in the ordinary, wonderful and typical activities most people take for granted, they must talk about themselves in the ordinary, wonderful, typical language others use about themselves.

Children with disabilities are children, first.  The only labels they need are their names! Parents must not talk about their children in the clinical terms used by medical practitioners.  A parent of a child who wears glasses (medical diagnosis: myopia) doesn't say, my daughter is myopic, so why does the parent of a child who has a medical diagnosis of autism say, my daughter is autistic?

What's the only purpose of a disability label?  To get services!! A disability label is simply a medical diagnosis and sociopolitical passport for entry into the service delivery system. Disability labels cannot be used to define human beings?

A person's self-image is strongly tied to the words used to describe the person.  For generations, people with disabilities have been described in negative, stereotypical language that has created mythical portrayals about them.  Over time, these myths have taken on the power of truths, when they're actually lies.  We must all believe people with disabilities are real people with unlimited potential, just like all people.  We must stop believing the myths? the lies? of labels.  We have the power to create new truths about people with disabilities.  Using People First language can influence society's views and treatment of people with disabilities.

Isn't it time for us to make this change?  If not now, when? If not you, who?

Examples of People First Language

 

Say	Instead of
people with disabilities	the handicapped or disabled
he/she has a cognitive disability	he/she is mentally retarded
she has autism	she's autistic
he has down syndrome	he's downs
she has a learning disability	she's learning disabled
he has a physical disability	he's a quadriplegic/crippled
he has an emotional disability	he's emotionally disturbed
accessible parking	handicapped parking
brain injury	brain damaged

No more special needs! A person's needs aren't special to him?  they're normal and ordinary! Keep thinking? there are many descriptors we need to change.  Practice new ways of thinking!!

Used with Permission by Kathie Snow  Copyright 2001

www.disabilityisnatural.com