Message From the People Newsletter Spring 2020 People First of Missouri is Strong and Active People First members and chapters are busy learning, giving, and growing. We make a positive difference in our communities. In this Issue Disability Rights Legislative Day, p. 1 President’s Message, p. 2 PFMO Officers’ Training, p. 2 Chapter Updates, p. 3 People First of Missouri Officers, 2020-2021, p. 3 Contact Us, p. 3 Chapter Updates, continued, p. 4 Headline: Join Us at Disability Rights Legislative Day Story: Wednesday, March 11, 2020, is Disability Rights Legislative Day (DRLD) in Jefferson City, Missouri. This is a day for self-advocates and our supporters to meet together in the capitol. On this day, we will hear speakers at the rally in the rotunda. We will also get to meet with our legislators and tell them what we would like them to do for us. Important things to know: One important thing to know before you go is who your legislators are. You can learn about them by going to senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup and typing in your address. The website will tell you about your legislators and the bills they are sponsoring. It will also give you their office phone number and email. A few days before the rally, try to schedule a meeting with your legislator on DRLD day. You can call or email their staff to ask to get on their calendar. Make sure to get to their office ten minutes before your meeting time. This will help you be prepared to talk with them and make sure they are not waiting for you. When you meet with them, first share your story in a few short sentences. You may want to explain your disability and the supports you use to live in the community. If they can picture someone’s face and know their story when they are voting on a bill, it makes a difference. Two or three weeks after this meeting, thank them for listening to you and your concerns. This way they will remember why they met with you. It can be a typed or written letter, an email, or a call to thank them for taking the time out their day to meet with you. They are in the legislature to serve you and speak up for you. • Photo: The Missouri State Capitol building in Jefferson City, Missouri. Caption: People First of Missouri will attend Disability Rights Legislative Day in the Capitol Rotunda on March 11. Everyone is welcome. Join us at the rally from 12-1 pm! Page 2 Headline: Message From the President by Jeffrey Johnson, President Hello everyone, I would like to thank everyone who voted in the November People First of Missouri (PFMO) statewide officer election. I am excited to be your president for the next two years and to lead People First of Missouri. I will be working hard for you. As president, I can not promise you we will get everything we want done in two years’ time. But I can tell you we have a lot of important work ahead of us in the year 2020. One of the things I would like to see us work on is talking with all People First chapters to find out what you would like to see the officers’ priorities be for PFMO. Now that the Missouri legislators are back in session, they are looking at bills for the year 2020. One of the bills that has been refiled talks about the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. It was brought to the legislature last year, but did not pass. I believe this is a big issue in the state of Missouri for students with disabilities. We will be watching this bill and ready to act when needed. We also need to get ready for the national election. We must get out and vote this year as if our lives depends on it. Our Constitution and democracy are at stake right now. That means you and I must make sure we help protect it. We also have to make sure that people with disabilities have their voices heard and rights protected. We must vote and help others to exercise their right to vote too. We won’t stop there. We have to continue the fight for the mission that People First of Missouri set out to do when the organization first started in 1983. Again I would like to say thank you to everyone who has shown their support for me as the new elected president for People First of Missouri. So now let’s get busy for the people of Missouri, to fight for the issues that we have concerns about. • Headline: Officers’ Training Story: February 1, 2020, the new PFMO officers met in Columbia, MO,for new officers’ training. At this training, each officer went over their role and was able to ask questions to learn more. The officers looked at the strategic plan and talked about how to make it happen. The new officers decided to make a one-pager for every meeting to talk about what to expect from the meeting and how to treat one another at meetings. • Photo caption: left to right: Jeffrey Johnson, Patty Goss, Kelly Ray, Mark Satterwhite, John Burriss, Candace Cunningham, Vim Horn, and George Gotto. Page 3 People First of Missouri 2020 Officers Jeff Johnson President Patty Goss Vice President Katie Kinder Treasurer Kelly Ray Secretary John Burriss Sergeant at Arms Contact Us: PO Box 30142 Kansas City, MO 64112 (800) 558-8652 missouripeoplefirst.org missouripeoplefirst@gmail.com facebook.com/ missouripeoplefirst twitter.com/MOpeoplefirst Funding for People First of Missouri provided in part by the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council (MODDC), Grant #1801MOBSDD Seq. No.: 2018 as authorized by Public Law 106-402 - Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act). Headline: PFMO Chapter Updates Boone County In December we held a holiday dance in partnership with Columbia Parks and Recreation. We had a good time! Effective January 1, 2020, new officers are: President, Katie Kinder; Vice President, Jeff Johnson; Secretary/Treasurer, Barb Hecke; Sergeant at Arms, Jason Mize. Jeff continued to work on his SARTAC project: Segregated Education and the School to Prison Pipeline. In February, School Board candidate David Seamon met with People First members. He discussed what he plans to do if elected to the School Board. He shared that he is concerned about the school to prison pipeline for students of color and students with disabilities. Jeff’s son attended the meeting as well, and shared about his school experiences. We’re excited for Disability Rights Legislative Day! We are partnering with Boone County Family Resources to teach Project STIR at two Columbia high schools and will soon offer it at the high school in Ashland, Missouri. Jeff joins a BCFR staff person in doing Project STIR. Iron County Iron County People First had a Valentine’s party and fundraiser. See photo, below. North Kansas City People First of North Kansas City had a meeting and chapter officer elections on January 21, 2020. The new officers will be Robyn Lloyd, President; Debbie Trickery, Vice President; Randy Todd, secretary; Mary Arnold, Treasurer; and Elizabeth Owings will be Sergeant at Arms. We talked about old business and discussed the upcoming Disability Rights Day in March. Pike County People First of Pike County has been very busy this winter! We held a BINGO Fundraiser in November. We raised over $3000 and will be meeting soon with several people in the community to give some money to the local park for some Photo caption: People First of Iron County held a Valentine’s Day party and Fundraiser in February. Description: About 20 people pose for a party picture underneath heart decorations. ~continued on next page Page 4 Headline: People First Chapter Updates, continued from page 3 dedication items for a chapter member who passed away and was very passionate about baseball. The park will use the donation to make some updates to the food stand. We will also be donating $100 a month to the little pantry boxes at a local school. This food can be picked up by anyone who needs it from a box outside the school. It has easy to prepare food items along with hygiene items. We hope the start of the year finds everyone well! God Bless from the Pike County Chapter! Randolph County Randolph County People First prepared for our Valentine’s dance, which was held on February 15th. We have been working on recruiting new members. At our December meeting, we had a small Christmas party and exchanged gifts. Springfield We have been recovering and restructuring after losing two advisers. Our long time adviser Dennis Brown passed away in 2018. Our next adviser ended up not having enough time to give to People First. We will be voting on a new advisor soon and announce it thorough the next newsletter. St. Louis We’re working on a Call-a-Ride campaign and getting ready for Missouri Disability Rights Legislative Day. We also are working on our car wash fundraiser. • Make sure your chapter update is in the next issue! Share what your chapter has been doing by emailing candcunningham@umkc.edu. Articles and pictures are welcome! -End-