Advocacy is about individuals with disabilities and groups of people working together to take charge of life. It is a process of understanding how decisions are made, and what choices can allow individuals to be more independent. Training programs and resources are made available to teach individuals with disabilities and families about their rights and opportunities and how to speak out to local, state and national policymakers so they understand how the decisions they make will truly impact daily life for persons with disabilities. Specific strategies for communicating ideas, telling stories, and sharing with multiple audiences are offered. Self-advocates, professional advocates and family advocates at all levels should have the tools they need to speak out for what they believe in.

• Stakeholder Engagement Group (SEG) Initiative
• Envisioning the Future: Allies in Self-Advocacy Report by the Institute on Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) 2011
• The ADA Network in North Carolina: A report created in recognition of the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), May 2015