At PACE, independence is always a consumer-driven process. When consumers face barriers to their independence, sometimes they contact us and want us to handle the issue for them. Instead, we address the issue with them, giving consumers the opportunity to develop their advocacy capacity.
Ideally, the consumer then becomes an effective self-advocate, working on solving the initial issue and planning strategies to prevent emergencies in the future. Through these experiences of self- advocacy, our goal is for consumers to become advocates who are empowered to address problems impacting the broader community (e.g. Systems Advocacy).
These two advocacy domains, Self-Advocacy and Systems Advocacy, are key to the mission of Centers for Independent Living. PACE focuses on advocacy issues that impact consumers in areas such as housing, employment, and transportation. We participate in various ways across the spectrum of advocacy action, from attending meetings with local stakeholders to advocating with U.S. Senators and Representatives for policies that promote the independence of people with disabilities.
Reach out if you are interested in:
- assistance with an individual issue
- advocating for accessibility in your community
- working towards a statewide/national change
If you would like to get involved in ongoing projects, join Advocates for Access, our community advocacy group.
Please email info@pacecil.org or contact us for more information.
