Welcome to the SABE Website!
Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) is the self-advocacy organization of the United States. Founded in 1990, we have been working hard for the full inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in the community throughout the 50 states and the world for 21 years. Our non-profit advocacy organization is run by a board of self-advocates representing 9 regions of the country.
“It is important to teach everyone with different ability the ‘value of advocacy’ and what it is all about so that people can make their own decisions and be their own person”
- Sid Katz
It is with great sadness that we inform you that Sidney Katz passed away on May 08, 2013 at Kindred HealthCare in Morris County.
Sidney Katz was born in Newark, NJ on October 13, 1950 and most recently resided in Union, NJ. He graduated from Cranford High School in 1969. Sid was married to Sheryl Seeder Katz in 1978. Sid was actively involved in advocacy for almost half of his entire lifetime. Sid was a 30 year member of Community Access Unlimited (CAU) and one of the ‘founding fathers’ of the Helping Hands Self-Advocacy Group at CAU; and most recently the New American Movement for People with Disabilities.
Sid was involved in the New Jersey Self-Advocacy Project and New Jersey United Self-Advocates (NJUSA) for over 25 years. He was a former President of both of these groups, and has held various officer positions and has been instrumental in creating by-laws and policies. Sid recently obtained a position at CAU as Self-Advocacy Field Coordinator. Sid served as a Board Member of CAU. Most recently Sid was the President of Helping Hands, Coordinator for NJUSA - Northern Region &the New Jersey Alternate Representative for the national group, Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE). Sid was an active member of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), attending and speaking at many national and regional conferences of AAIDD.
Sid is profoundly a lifetime achiever of educating, promoting and advocating for the rights of individuals with cognitive and developmental disability, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and everyone is a member of the community with equal rights and responsibilities. Sid’s strongest belief was that every citizen should have the same opportunities for freedom, pursuit of happiness and be an integral part of the community and society as a whole.
Sid will be deeply missed by his many friends, fellow advocates, co-workers and admirers in New Jersey and around the country.
The Funeral will be held at Beth Israel Cemetery in Woodbridge, NJ on Friday May 10, 2013 at 2:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Community Access Unlimited, Helping Hands Self-Advocacy.
May the Lord keep his smile and love for all to see forever.
An Open Letter from the Board of Directors of Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered
On behalf of thousands of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, the Board of Directors of Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) would like to offer our sincere condolences and our support to the community of Newtown, Connecticut and particularly to those families whose lives were directly impacted by this horrible event.
We are, however, gravely concerned that the damage done by this terrible act could be further extended to the lives of individuals who have have autism, other developmental/intellectual disabilities and psychiatric disabilities by the comments and references of individuals who do not know or understand the actual effects of these conditions on those individuals who have them. While no group is immune to the possibility of someone committing an act such as this, the implication that people with autism, other intellectual disabilities or psychiatric disabilities are more likely that any other segment of the American population to commit such an act is not a valid assumption. Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered believes that our society needs to be more proactive in identifying the risk factors experienced by Adam Lanzo, that let to this horrific event through the funding of programs and supports for individuals with psychiatric disabilities.
Once again, the Board of Directors of Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered would like to offer our most sincere condolences to those impacted by this tragic event.
Current SABE News
Click here for the newest SABE Nation newsletter!
Find out what's going on with SABE!
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View the SABE Organizational Table-a helpful chart to understanding SABE's initiatives
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Message to State Organizations about the Self-Advocacy Summits
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Information about Proposed Self-Advocacy Information and Training Centers- Click on this link and print this out for Your State Summit!
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SABE Calls For Strong Support of National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) Report on Closing Sheltered Workshops
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Read the National Disability Rights Network Report here and read SABE's statement of support in HOT TOPICS" in Resources. Print out a flyer and pass it out to your friends and co-workers! Click here!
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National ADA Center Fact Sheet on Effective Communication
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Getting Your Message Across: Communicating With People With Intellectual Disabilities
Current SABE Surveys
- Survey on Self Determination: Fill out SABE's latest survey on self determination in your state!
- Survey on Employment and People with Disabilities: Help us work to improve employment for people with disabilities.