“Self-determination is speaking up for our rights and responsibilities and empowering ourselves to stand up for what we believe in. This means being able to choose where we work, live, and our friends; to educate ourselves and others, to work as a team to obtain common goals; and to develop the skills that enable us to fight for our beliefs, to advocate for our needs, and to obtain the level of independence that we desire.”
(Self Advocates Becoming Empowered, 1996)
Declaration of Self-Determination
We, the people with disabilities of America, met in Nashville on November 1, 1997 to define Self Determination as our basic civil rights including all the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and our Bill of Rights.
We believe self-advocates are the professionals, ask us first, and we should be the decision makers and planners in all our daily living activities, such as working, voting, conferences, leadership development and taking financial control of our service and personal dollars.
As a disability community, we are all one unified voice, we include everyone, we are not “special,” we respect and trust each other and are willing to help each other in the fight for our rights.
We also stand firm on the enforcement protections of the ADA, which will assure self-determination for all people with disabilities.
Adopted November 1st, 1997 at the First National Cafl to the Table Meeting issued by the Southern Collaborative on Self-Determination (People First of Alabama,. Georgia, and Tennessee), the New York Self-Advocacy Association; and Speaking for Ourselves of Pennsylvania.