REAL Talk | Week 8: DD Awareness Month, APD Advocacy, and Election Season

Описание: This week on REAL Talk, We the People, By the People, For ALL the People came together at the end of Week 8 of Florida’s legislative session for a conversation about advocacy, awareness, elections, and the power of personal stories.

We opened the call by recognizing March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and talked about why this is such an important time for families, self-advocates, and supporters to connect with legislators and ask them to publicly show their support for people with developmental disabilities.

We also discussed where things stand in Tallahassee as session heads toward its scheduled end, the growing likelihood of an extension or special session, and the reality that while many bills are stalled, several disability-related bills have continued to move forward.

A major highlight of this week’s conversation was the advocacy around the APD bill focused on quality support coordination. We watched powerful testimony from JJ Holmes and Stephanie Nordin, both of whom shared deeply personal stories about how strong waiver support coordination can change lives and help families move from chaos to stability. Their testimony was a reminder that quality should not be left to chance.

We also talked about the importance of local advocacy as election season approaches. Nicole shared practical guidance on how families can engage with candidates, build relationships with local officials, and even host disability-focused candidate forums in their own communities. The message was clear: all politics are local, and families can have tremendous impact close to home.

The conversation also touched on the importance of connecting families with one another, bringing more people into this advocacy work, and continuing to build a strong statewide network of support, education, and action.

REAL Talk is hosted by We the People, By the People, For ALL the People, a family-led advocacy group made up of self-advocates, parents, caregivers, and champions for people with developmental disabilities across Florida.

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