AS we approach March, we begin a trifecta of disability awareness campaigns with Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month or DDAM being the kickstart to it all. March is nationally and locally celebrated as DDAM, with this year’s theme being “Beyond the Conversation.” According to the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, this theme was chosen to ask the questions: “Once the conversations have taken place, what comes next? What are communities doing to create change?” It is time to go beyond the conversation and take action. This theme can simply be interpreted as: the time for talking is over; now it is time for us to act to create this change.
Radical. Social. Change. These words often echo through my mind from a movie about the late Ruth Ginsburg, where she argued for equality for men and women. However, it shouldn’t stop there. The radical social change we need for our community is to have our disability population thoroughly included as a part of society where their voices are heard and there is actual change because of it. Such change would include eliminating the stigma of being afraid or hesitant about hiring qualified individuals with disabilities. It is discouraging for anyone to hear that they may be a financial “liability” to a company, or that their disability “limits” their job duties and/or responsibilities, and therefore, they cannot be hired.
The CNMI Disability Network Partners or DNP will be putting action to these conversations throughout the month of March with various types of training and outreach for individuals with developmental disabilities. March 1, 2023, will be the Saipan DDAM Proclamation Signing and Recognition Ceremony for the 2023 Champions of Equal Opportunity, which include awards for “Advocate of the Year,” “Self-Advocate of the Year,” “Employer Advocate of the Year” and much more. March 3, 2023, is the Saipan Celebrating Advocates Day which highlights various self-advocacy activities and skills for our participants. Further dates for Tinian and Rota will be announced in March.
Additionally, the Northern Marianas Protection & Advocacy Systems Inc. or NMPASI will be conducting outreach to the high school students in the special education program (more specifically, transition-aged students seniors). During the week of March 20-23, 2023, our outreach will focus on and emphasize post-high school transition either to the workforce or post-secondary education with available local resources, tips, disability laws, and more.
NMPASI is the CNMI designated organization that protects the civil, legal, and human rights of people with disabilities. For more information on our programs and services, please contact NMPASI at our office numbers (670) 235-7273/4 or visit our website at www.nmpasi.org/.
CLEO NENING
NMPASI Programs Coordinator
