The Seth Pack Golf Classic has generously donated funds to The Arc Minnesota Southeast Region. These funds are available to families who have children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who reside in the counties of Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Olmsted, Rice, Wabasha and Winona who need assistance with the cost of the activity for which the funds are requested.

There will be a limit of $200 per year/per person. The scholarship fund is limited. When the budgeted amount for scholarships is depleted, additional money will not be available until after the following Seth Pack Golf Classic tournament.

Applications should be submitted at least one month before funds are needed. For exceptions to this, please contact The Arc MN SE Region office. Requests for funds will be approved by the Seth Pack Golf Committee. Funding for scholarships has been made possible by: The Seth Pack Golf Classic.

Apply here!

The post Seth Pack Mini-Grant for Families first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post Seth Pack Mini-Grant for Families appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.

Today, we honor Debbi Simmons Harris – former Board Chair of The Arc Greater Twin Cities, and current Board member of The Arc U.S.

Debbi’s profile as a member of the National Alliance of Caregivers (NAC) notes that her youngest son, Josh, “was born eight weeks early, an example of the disparities occurring in medical care for African American mothers in pregnancy, labor and delivery. Josh had a Grade IV brain hemorrhage at birth” and was given just days to live. 30 years later, Josh is thriving at home with Debbi and their family in Eagan.

NAC goes on to share that “other than caring and managing her family, as well as an ICU-level nursing staff in her home, Debbi is… a family navigation specialist for Family Voices of Minnesota; a family leader for the Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network to Advance Care for Children with Medical Complexity; and, a Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs National Research Network partner. Debbi is a public policy advocate as well, working with the national Workers Advisory Group for Paid Leave and the National Caregiver Advocacy Collaborative of the National Alliance for Caregiving. She has [been] published in Today’s Caregiver magazine, Kaleidoscope, Existere—-Journal of Literature and Arts, at Salon.com, JAMA Pediatrics as a co-author, and has co-authored a manuscript on COVID-19 and children with disabilities to be published in the Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine.”

Beyond her many incredible contributions to the disability community, she is a great mom. Debbi’s oldest son, Nick – a member of The Arc Minnesota’s former Adult Sibling Advocacy Network – had this to share:

“Her compassion for others and her selflessness are so unique and inspiring. She genuinely cares for others and it shows in all of her daily actions and dedication to her family and friendships. 

My family wouldn’t be where we are today if it weren’t for my mother. She has been the backbone and glue since I was born. Guiding us through my father being gone for war, navigating 2 boys in college, handling every single curveball and situation you can possibly think of when it comes to the complexities of having a son with disabilities. She has been a super woman in every single way and is such an incredible woman to   me.

My mother inspires me because she doesn’t ever seem to quit or let anything keep her down for the count. Even through stress, anxiety, the challenges that life presents to her as a mother of a disabled child, and everything else, she never gives up and continues to find that spark of hope and momentum to keep going and keep showing up for her family, friends, and colleagues in the incredible way that she does.”

Thank you to Debbi, and all the moms in The Arc Minnesota community, for your fierce love, unshakeable dedication, and powerful advocacy!

The post Let’s celebrate moms like Debbi! first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post Let’s celebrate moms like Debbi! appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.

The Arc Minnesota honors the many parent advocates who have been part of our community since we were founded 75 years ago. This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating several moms who have been powerful change-makers in Minnesota and beyond.

Today, we honor Nancy Altman Zuber – mother to The Arc Minnesota’s CEO, Andrea Zuber. Here’s what Andrea says about her mother and her incredible impact.

“My mom was Nancy Altman Zuber. She was a social worker at Ramsey County in the 1960s, and worked in what was then called the “MR unit”. When the county got a call that a baby was born with a developmental disability, one of the things my mom had to do was go to the hospital to visit with the parents. She was instructed to tell them that the best thing for them to do was to send the baby to the state hospital to live. She was told to tell the family that it would be easier for everybody that way. My mom‘s heart broke every time she had to do that.

She started to hear about the “parents movement” and The Arc. Across the nation, parents were starting to fight to keep their babies at home, and were fighting for support. My mom asked her supervisor at Ramsey County if she had heard of the “parents movement” and if they could look into it so that could stop telling parents to give up their babies with IDD. Her supervisor said, “Nope – that’s just the way we do it here.” My mom thought that was ridiculous so she joined SPARC –  St. Paul ARC.

With SPARC, my mom sat around kitchen tables with some of the pioneer moms that started The Arc’s work, and did what she could to support them. Once the movement had progressed, my mom‘s job shifted to supporting families to bring their kids home from the state hospitals. She instilled in me a belief in inclusion and belonging, and a spirit to fight for human and civil rights. Thank you for all you did, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day!”

The post Thank you to advocates and mothers like Nancy! first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post Thank you to advocates and mothers like Nancy! appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.

Resources and Articles

• Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault
• The Arc US – Talk About Sexual Violence
• Sexual Violence and the Disability Community
• Sexual Violence and the Disability Community Discussion Guide
• The Sexual Assault Epidemic No One Talks About
• People with Intellectual Disabilities and Sexual Violence
• The Disabled Community and Sexual Violence 

The Sexual Violence Center

The Sexual Violence Center’s (SVC) vision is “that no one impacted by sexual violence will navigate alone.”

Below there is a list of resources from SVC.

• Outreach Flyer
• Sexual Abuse of Children with Disabilities: A National Snapshot
• Understanding Sexual Violence
• Presentation and Training Fee Schedule

The post Sexual Assault Awareness Month first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post Sexual Assault Awareness Month appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.

Origins of International Transgender Day of Visibility 

International Transgender Day of Visibility was organized by transgender activist Rachel Crandall-Crocker on March 31^st, 2009. Crandall-Crocker created this day as she reflected on Transgender Day of Remembrance which is a day to mourn the transgender lives that have been lost due to discrimination and violence. Mourning and remembering the transgender lives taken is as vital as celebrating those who are still here. Learn more by reading our article on Transgender Day of Remembrance.  

We must work together to celebrate trans lives now, while fighting for justice for our communities by preventing violence and promoting equality. 

Intersectionality 

It is important to recognize that transgender justice is deeply interconnected with other forms of social justice, including disability justice and racial justice. 

Transgender and nonbinary people face numerous barriers to accessing healthcare, employment, housing, and other necessities. These barriers are often amplified for transgender individuals who also experience disability or chronic illness. For example, transgender people with disabilities may face additional challenges in finding affirming and accessible healthcare or getting accommodations at work or school. 

Furthermore, transgender people who are also members of marginalized racial or ethnic groups may face additional discrimination. According to a report by the National Center for Transgender Equality, Black, transgender people are more likely to experience poverty, homelessness, and incarceration compared to their white, cisgender counterparts. Similarly, transgender people with disabilities are more likely to be targeted by law enforcement and experience violence than those without disabilities. 

The intersections of disability justice, transgender justice, and racial justice are not limited to these examples. Rather, they are complex and multifaceted, requiring an ongoing commitment to advocacy and allyship. 

As we celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility, let us also remember the importance of intersectionality in our advocacy efforts. We must work together to dismantle systems of oppression, recognizing that our struggles are interconnected, and our liberation is bound together. This means advocating for policies and practices that uplift the voices and experiences of transgender individuals, especially those who are also disabled. In the last few years, there have been a record number of bills that attack LGBTQ rights, especially transgender youth. It is critical that our advocacy efforts are inclusive and accessible to all individuals. This means prioritizing the needs and perspectives of those who are most impacted by systems of oppression, including transgender individuals with disabilities and those who are members of the Black, Indigenous, and other racialized communities. 

Resources

Here are a few organizations that support and celebrate transgender people:

• Gender Justice
• Minnesota Transgender Alliance Support Group
• Reclaim
• Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition

Sources

https://www.them.us/story/trans-day-of-visibility-founder-rachel-crandall-crocker-essay

https://www.glsen.org/blog/im-trans-disabled-young-person-not-one-or-other

The post International Transgender Day of Visibility first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post International Transgender Day of Visibility appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.

A recent training from MNConnect Leadership Group focused on family and professional partnerships in developing the Individualized Education Program (IEP). The session covers how to fill out the life trajectory tool and examples of how others have used it. Watching this webinar will inspire you to work on one with your child to bring to the next IEP meeting.

You may have tried to collaborate with the school but are still finding barriers to your child accessing the education they need. There are options to resolve conflict through the Minnesota Department of Education. Below you will find a few options that might fit your situation.

Special Education Mediation

Mediation is a voluntary process that allows parties to resolve disputes without a formal legal hearing. An impartial mediator helps the parties express their views and positions and understand each other. The mediator’s role is to facilitate the discussion and help all parties reach an agreement. The mediator should not recommend solutions or take positions or sides.

You can find more information from the Minnesota Department of Education on Special Education Mediation.

Facilitated Individualized Education Program Meeting

A facilitated team meeting is an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting led by a neutral, state-provided facilitator. These meetings assist an IEP team in developing an IEP. The goals of a facilitated IEP are to:

• Improve communication among IEP team members
• Discuss areas of disagreement
• Develop an IEP that all IEP team members agree to

You can find more information from the Minnesota Department of Education on Facilitated Team Meetings.

Minnesota Department of Education Complaint State Complaint

Parents can file a formal complaint with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) if they feel their child’s IEP has not been followed. They can also file a complaint if they feel their child’s educational rights have been violated.

You can find more information from the Minnesota Department of Education on Special Education Complaints.

Questions and Concerns

For other special education-related questions, a great resource is the Special Education Assistance and Compliance line.

• mde.assistance-compliance@state.mn.us
• Call 651-582-8689

The Arc Minnesota is available to talk through your options or answer your special education questions.

• Help Desk: 1-866-797-1122
• Ask an Advocate

The post Ways to Resolve Conflicts with Special Education Teams first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post Ways to Resolve Conflicts with Special Education Teams appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.

Q: Can you tell us a little about the art that you create and how you got started? 

A: Well, how I started getting writing was just for something to do. I’ve written – well first thing I wrote was a book for school – a project we did for school. It was about my fish. And then I wrote a book for 4H called “The Search”– kind of based on hide-and-seek. And then I wrote about sharing and I used sock puppets – that was also a 4H project. I’ve been writing a story since my oldest nephew was born in 2005. I added characters after another niece and nephew were born. Leif, Tryg, and Arya. Arya’s character got hit by a comet – that’s how she got her powers. The other two were hit by lightning. In the story we have evil robots, we have aliens, there’s music in each story – from classic rock, to eighties music, to pop. I always end it with an end-of-the-world party – it’s the end of the book and my favorite part to write. We had three weddings in the last chapter – eventually we’ll add new characters in the story. We are on page 31 in this story!

I’ve written a couple of plays – one was about cooking and one was about friends. I’ve created puppet shows. My best friend is blind and Brailled her part – and then I got a Braille version of The Search. I still have the puppets – even though they’re not in the best shape anymore! They’ve lost a lot of cotton. I do change up their voices a little bit too. I volunteer at the YMCA and worked at daycares so I’ve done puppet shows there. I write Harry Potter fan fiction too. 

Q: What inspires and motivates you to create? 

A: Just my imagination – just something to do. It’s a lot of fun writing the story for my nieces and nephews. I always try to watch a story when I’m watching TV – I try to do something when I’m watching TV. 

Q: Does your art tell a story about yourself? What is that story? 

A: Yeah – kind of! I always end the stories with, “This is the end of the story for now, I’d like to say a couple thank you’s to a couple people. The first is to the music – eighties pop and tv theme songs. The second is my mom and dad – especially my dad and the love of music. The third one goes to the tv show Supernatural – especially season 4 and 5 – for the end of the world chapter. The last goes to my brother and sister-in-law – without those three kids these stories wouldn’t happen.”

The kids have a lot of fun reading the stories. And I have a lot of fun writing and reading the stories too. And then I share the upcoming themes. It’s been a lot of fun to write the weddings! I go on baby-naming websites and I have baby-naming books to come up with names of characters. I was an eighties baby – I was born in 1981, so we have some eighties themes. I also go to this writing thing at the library on Wednesdays to meet fellow writers – I’ve been doing that for a couple years. It’s been going on at the library for 30 years or so. 

Q: What are you most proud of as an artist? 

A:

The story for my nieces and nephews and writing the “sharing” puppet show. And the writing the story about The Search. The story I’m writing now is rated G and PG – there’s little bit of romance – but it’s not rated NC-17 like my Harry Potter fan fiction! Because this story is really written for children too. It’s more sweet and simple. Picking out the music for the wedding parts was really fun. I write in what the music is too. “The Last Party” by Mika will be for the end-of-the-world party chapter. When Ariya finds out she is pregnant, the song is “Circle of Life” by Elton John. I find a song and think “Yes! This song will totally work for this chapter.” I shared the Spirit theme song from Spirit for chapter 34 for the story I’ve been writing – when one of my nephews finds out he’s going to have kids. And we bring characters back from earlier parts of the book. I get names from the songs too like Sara by Jefferson Starship and Lola by The Kinks. My pen name ended up being Kiss M. Tollefson because it was supposed to be Kris but my computer wrote it wrong! 

I always print in color ink – and certain chapters are certain colors, and the interlude is a different color, and the end-of-the-world party chapter is in its own color and font through the end. 

Q: Have there been any challenges you have had to overcome as an artist? 

A: My hands get tired after a while – but that’s due to my cerebral palsy – it mostly affects my hands and my feet. My hands get tired if I write for a long time. So, I shake my hands out when I’m typing or writing. Sometimes I number the chapters wrong, so then it’s just okay there are more than I thought there would be. I always proofread it at the end. 

Q: Is there a relationship between your art making and community. If so, could you tell us about this? 

A: Yeah – I enjoyed doing presentations for the puppet shows. I’ve met new people from writing – I say “hi” to people at the library and have a met a few people from that. One of the librarians before (they are retired now) had told me about it. And then I got to meet other people that write. 

Q: Why is creating art important? 

A: It shows your imagination – it’s just an outlet to write down your thoughts. I have a really good imagination – I started making stories as a kid. I love my imagination. I would make stories with stuffed animals, and Barbies, and horses. 

Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start creating? 

A: Just write what your favorite genre is – write what your thoughts are. If you’re having a bad day, it’s just fun to write something down. I always get a kick reading my stories out loud when I get a chance. I always laugh! There’s this one chapter – it’s one of my favorites – when Leif finds out he’s going to be a father. He actually runs away and goes to a bar and Joe the bartender gives him advice. And then another character is so excited to become a father! But my nephews have totally different personalities – so things might happen in different ways. 

Check out some of Kristina’s song picks for some of the story chapters! 

“The Last Party” by Mika

“Circle of Life” by Elton John 

“Sara” by Jefferson Starship

“Lola” by The Kinks 

The post Self-Advocate Creator Spotlight: Kristina Tollefson first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post Self-Advocate Creator Spotlight: Kristina Tollefson appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.

The Arc Minnesota is excited to co-host Disability Advocacy Week!

That’s right – we’re planning an entire week of grassroots action centered around the theme “Love. Liberation. Belonging.”

Here’s more information about the week’s main events:

You can find a PDF version of this schedule here.

Monday, February 13

Stories that Stick: Tips for Meeting Elected Officials 

6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

Join us on Zoom!

Join disabled leaders, lobbyists, and policymakers to learn effective advocacy strategies. The tips and tools they share can help you get ready for meetings with your elected officials.

Register here.

With questions or support getting registered, contact Bridget Carter at bcarter@mnccd.org or Maren Christenson at maren.christenson@gmail.com.

ASL and CART will be provided.

Tuesday, February 14

• Rally Prep – 9:30 am to 10:30 am, Dept. of Transportation Cafeteria
• March & Roll to Capitol – 10:30 am to 11:30 am
• Rally – 11:00 am to 11:45 am, Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda
• Meetings with legislators – All day!

The Disability Advocacy Day Rally is on Tuesday, February 14. Check-in early if you can – anytime from 9:30 am to 10:30 am in the Minnesota Department of Transportation Cafeteria. Event co-hosts will share information about their policy priorities this session, and we’ll make posters centered around the event theme of “Love. Liberation. Belonging”.

Then, join a march & roll to the Capitol, where we will rally in the Rotunda. There will be chairs, a bariatric bench, and designated space for people who use wheelchairs.

Register here.

With general event questions, contact Jessica Tabbutt at JessicaLTabbutt@gillettechildrens.com.

ASL and CART will be provided. We will also have in-event language translation in Hmong, Somali, and Spanish. For support with other access needs, contact Gene Martinez at genemartinez@arcminnesota.org.

Plan ahead to meet with your elected officials!

Wednesday, February 15 – Friday, February 17

Follow along on The Arc Minnesota’s social media accounts for information about more virtual grassroots actions to round out the week.

With questions or for more information, contact Alicia Munson by email at aliciamunson@arcminnesota.org.

We hope you’ll join us during #DisabilityAdvocacyWeek2023!

The post 2023 Disability Advocacy Week first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post 2023 Disability Advocacy Week appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.

Today we honor Bill Zuber and Milt Conrath—father and close friend of Andrea Zuber, The Arc Minnesota’s CEO. Here’s what Andrea says about these two and their inspirational work.

“My Dad, Bill Zuber, was a Manager in Disability Services at Ramsey County from 1985, until he retired in 1998. In the throes of the landmark Welsch v. Likins class action lawsuit, Ramsey County was in the middle figuring out how to move over 2,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who were living at Cambridge State Hospital, into community homes.

Years ago, my Dad told me a memorable story about the first days he had in that job. He and a co-worker went to tour Cambridge State Hospital so he could see the work that needed to be done. According to his story, many people had feeding tubes in. When my Dad asked why that was, he was told there had been a strike, so they didn’t have enough employees to feed everyone. It was easier to use feeding tubes. The strike had ended, but the feeding tubes remained.

My Dad was appalled by what he saw and heard that day, and resolved then and there that, “If it was last thing I did, I would get them out of there” (referring to the residents with IDD). My Dad worked relentlessly over the next 13 years to make that happen.

One of his close partners in the work to deinstitutionalize, was Milt Conrath, who also worked in Disability Services at Ramsey County, and later at Dakota County. Milt and my Dad became close friends, and I was fortunate to have spent a lot of time with Milt and his family, during many, many camping trips in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Together my Dad and Milt were quite the team—Milt was flamboyant, passionate and unstoppable; my dad was pragmatic, convicted and equally unstoppable. My Dad retired from Ramsey County Disability Services in May 1998, three months after the last resident who was the financial responsibility of Ramsey County left Cambridge State Hospital in a limousine. I was told my Dad authorized the payment for that limousine, using county dollars, in a final display of rebellion and advocacy.

Because of the work of Bill Zuber, Milt Conrath, and countless others, today, people with IDD do not have to face life living in an overcrowded state hospital, rampant with abuse, maltreatment and neglect. We still have work to do to support people IDD to have belonging, freedom and justice, but we have come SO far, thanks to crusaders like Bill Zuber and Milt Conrath, two men who were larger-than-life to me, and who’s legacies inspire my own work.

Thank you, Daddy and Milt, for all you did for people with IDD throughout your careers. Happy Father’s Day!”

Andrea and Bill Zuber

Milt Conrath and Bill Zuber

The post Thank you to dads like Bill and Milt! first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post Thank you to dads like Bill and Milt! appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.

The Arc Minnesota honors the many parent advocates who have been part of our community since we were founded 75 years ago. This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating several moms who have been powerful change-makers in Minnesota and beyond.

Today, we honor Nancy Altman Zuber – mother to The Arc Minnesota’s CEO, Andrea Zuber. Here’s what Andrea says about her mother and her incredible impact.

“My mom was Nancy Altman Zuber. She was a social worker at Ramsey County in the 1960s, and worked in what was then called the “MR unit”. When the county got a call that a baby was born with a developmental disability, one of the things my mom had to do was go to the hospital to visit with the parents. She was instructed to tell them that the best thing for them to do was to send the baby to the state hospital to live. She was told to tell the family that it would be easier for everybody that way. My mom‘s heart broke every time she had to do that.

She started to hear about the “parents movement” and The Arc. Across the nation, parents were starting to fight to keep their babies at home, and were fighting for support. My mom asked her supervisor at Ramsey County if she had heard of the “parents movement” and if they could look into it so that could stop telling parents to give up their babies with IDD. Her supervisor said, “Nope – that’s just the way we do it here.” My mom thought that was ridiculous so she joined SPARC –  St. Paul ARC.

With SPARC, my mom sat around kitchen tables with some of the pioneer moms that started The Arc’s work, and did what she could to support them. Once the movement had progressed, my mom‘s job shifted to supporting families to bring their kids home from the state hospitals. She instilled in me a belief in inclusion and belonging, and a spirit to fight for human and civil rights. Thank you for all you did, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day!”

The post Thank you to advocates and mothers like Nancy! first appeared on The Arc Minnesota.

The post Thank you to advocates and mothers like Nancy! appeared first on The Arc Minnesota.