Peace activist Mahatma Ghandi encouraged his followers to “be the change you wish to see in the world.”
At Pathfinder Village in Edmeston, a welcoming community for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities, members of the Council Rock self-advocacy group are making an impact as grassroots change-makers.
Council Rock is an engaged group of leaders with disabilities who want to share their talents and energy with others and improve our quality of life. Members meet each month to discuss topics that range from equal access and choice to volunteerism and capital improvements. The group’s motto is “We speak up for ourselves and our friends.”
As the director of the Kennedy Willis Center on Down Syndrome, Pathfinder’s education, outreach, and life planning arm, I am privileged to serve as the group’s advisor and share the members’ vision and energy. Recently, members have stepped up their efforts through a diversity, equity and inclusion grant from the Community Foundation of Otsego County.
This award is providing seed funding for educational materials and speaking engagements, amplifying the voice for people with disabilities in our area.
“Speaking up” includes contributing at Board of Directors meetings, volunteering at campus events and sponsoring educational activities. Council Rock hosted a #DsRocks painting station at our Splash Path 5k Festival in May. Youngsters enjoyed decorating cobblestones, which their parents can share through the #DsRocks Facebook Group. The children not only learned about Down syndrome from people with Down syndrome, but they also have the fun of hiding their colorful artworks so others can find them, repost on social media, and re-hide them.
It is well documented that people with disabilities still face harsh discrimination, prejudice and exclusion, which in turn affects their participation and involvement within the larger community.
Promoting reciprocal relationships and increased social involvement helps people with disabilities gain a sense of belonging and become more confident. Council Rock members are working to create more opportunities for these types of genuine relationships and connections.
Person-centered activities are proposed, developed and voted on by Council Rock’s members. At times, individual members manage mini projects, which show initiative and make an immediate impact. Member Kate Sullivan surprised people in the community by distributing carnations on Random Acts of Kindness Day in February. You could see Kate’s thoughtful gesture really made people stop, smile and appreciate the moment.
To grow their network, the self-advocates have worked with the Otsego County Board of Elections to support registering people with disabilities in voting.
More recently, Council Rock has corresponded and connected with the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State, NYCM Insurance, the Office for the Aging, Edmeston Central School and the town of Edmeston to foster partnerships that benefit the entire community.
Other partners include the Colgate Buddies at Colgate University, Best Buddies International and the Center for Social Responsibility and Volunteerism at SUNY Oneonta.
Council Rock meets the third Wednesday of each month at the Kennedy Willis Center on Down Syndrome at Pathfinder Village in Edmeston. If members of the community would like to learn more about self-advocacy, please contact the group through its email, councilrock@pathfindervillage.org.