Green Mountain Self-Advocates

04/27/2026

On Thursday, April 23rd, GMSA along with the Vermont DD Council, Disability Rights Vermont (Protection and Advocacy), Vermont Legal Aid, etc. spoke at a press conference at the Vermont State House.

The focus was opposition on building a Forensic Unit. At the press conference, we expressed our concerns to the proposed Forensic Facility (S. 193). We feel that the facility is another way of institutionalizing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Each person representing their organization gave a speech voicing their concerns. Local news was present. They contacted us for more information and we followed up.

04/26/2026

On Friday, April 17th, GMSA visited the Bradford Self-Advocacy group. We did a presentation called Fair Fighting. The focus was on how Self-Advocacy can work through conflicts with their members and to solve a problem by finding a solution that works. The group was looking for some advice on how to overcome some struggles with disagreements and also to keep the group going.

During the presentation, we asked the group questions like what do people in groups fight about? Also, we asked when you're mad at someone, what do you do? (Do you talk to them? Yell? Stay quiet? Shut down and ignore people?)
We also gave an example of an “I” statement to them with a few steps to help. Then we had them share examples that they came up with.

Last, we talked about problem solving and had members share ways to do that, especially while leading their group.

The group was pleased with what we offered and the members felt motivated to take command more.

04/25/2026

On Tuesday, April 14th, GMSA did a presentation to students with disabilities at North Country Union High School. This was part of a Pathways 2 Partnership project where high school students w/ IDD learn about Self-Advocacy and are given skills to speak up for themselves.

We started with an Ice Breaker, like Charades. We had the students guess what we were doing by action, not words.

Next, we showed a videos on Self-Advocacy and had the students share an example of how they have spoken up for themselves.

Last, we did an activity on what is Self-Advocacy and what is NOT Self-Advocacy. We gave the students cards and had them think about what the card said. Then, go tape them up on two posters that say what self-advocacy is and what it’s not, where they belong.

The students enjoyed the presentation and were engaged in the activities.

04/24/2026

On Monday, April 13th, GMSA did a presentation to students with IDD at Spaulding High School. This was part of a Pathways 2 Partnership project where high school students w/ IDD learn about Self-Advocacy and are given skills to speak up for themselves.

We started out with a video about making new friends and asked the students to share their thoughts.

Then, we did some activities with the students. The first one was about introducing yourself and how. We gave some examples of things people say, had the students tell what’s okay or not okay to say to a complete stranger, had them come up with 3 things to say about themselves and also to ask about a person that they would meet to find out more.

The next activity was on setting boundaries. We showed a quick video about teasing. Then, we got the students to come up with a list of things people do that bother them and what to do about it. Then last, we had them share what they came up with.

The presentation went well. The students were well engaged in the activities and shared good ideas.

04/11/2026

On Tuesday, March 31st GMSA did a presentation to students with disabilities at North Country Union High School. This was part of a Pathways 2 Partnership project where high school students w/ IDD learn about Self-Advocacy and are given skills to speak up for themselves.

We presented in 4 separate classes of students. In the first and second classes, we began with an activity called Knowing Yourself. We had the students make posters by choosing pictures or writing what feels good to them and what they like to do.
Then, we had each of the students share what they came up with.

Then in third and fourth classes, we showed three ways of communicating: passive (wimpy), aggressive (bossy) and assertive (respectful of others and standing up for ourselves). We did so by doing a role play on someone being interviewed for a job showing examples of the three styles and then had the students share their thoughts and practice how they can speak up for themselves.

The presentation went well and the students were well engaged.

04/10/2026

On Monday, March 27th, GMSA did a presentation to students with IDD at Spaulding High School. This was part of a Pathways 2 Partnership project where high school students w/ IDD learn about Self-Advocacy and are given skills to speak up for themselves.

For the presentation, we started out with a video about listening to how people with disabilities talk about themselves and ask the students to share their thoughts.

Next, we did an activity on communication when asking for what we want. We showed three ways of communicating: Passive (Wimpy), aggressive (Bossy) and assertive (Respectful of others and standing up for ourselves). We watched a video, demonstrated them through role-plays, then had them practice.

Last, we did an activity on knowing yourself by having the students share something they really want to do and why. That way, they can keep that in mind to have skills to get over barriers that get in their way of what they want to do.

The students were really engaged and enjoyed what we presented.

04/10/2026

Kristofer Medina testifying to the VT House Human Services Committee. Medina described why it is important for legislators to support J.R.H. 9. This is a joint resolution. It urges the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to reconsider its opposition to Rapid Prompting Method (RPM). RPM is a way to help people communicate. It is sometimes used with students who have apraxia of speech (AOS) or autism.

Kris said "I'm from Barre Town, I work for Green Mountain Self-Advocates and I am Autistic. I am passionate about working as a self-advocate and fighting for our rights. J.R.H.9 is a huge deal to me and my typing friends here in Vermont because our means of communicating is life or death. I really think we typers push ourselves to advocate for basic rights because people think we are not intelligent or capable of determining our needs. I know what I need and I know what I want. To have access to my preferred method of communication is like having access to fresh air and clean drinking water."

Here is a video recording of the testimony and committee discussion

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04/09/2026

On Monday, March 25th, GMSA did a presentation to students with and without disabilities at Champlain Valley Union High School. This was part of a Pathways 2 Partnership project where high school students w/ IDD learn about Self-Advocacy and are given skills to speak up for themselves.

First, we started with a “Rocks” activity. There is a backpack filled with rocks. Each rock had a piece of paper attached with a comment on it from experiences that people with disabilities live with everyday. The students read them one at a time, then were asked to share their thoughts on what they heard.

Next, we did an activity called a “Fishbowl”. It was where presenters sit in a circle in the center of the audience surrounding them to listen to what is being shared while being asked about their lives. Then we had the students share their thoughts on what they heard.

The presentation went well and the students got a lot out of what they heard from the presenters.

04/06/2026

On Monday, March 23rd, GMSA did a presentation/training at the Vermont State Police Academy. We co-presented with the Disability Rights Vermont to new recruits going into police departments all over the state of Vermont.

The purpose was to educate them on how to better interact and communicate with people with disabilities. Some of the topics covered were Ableism, what intersectionality means, and Autism and the different forms of Communication.

We did a couple of activities. One was called, "Look Through Our Eyes", by having them read real statements collected from people with disabilities on what they face while dealing with challenges growing up in the world. The other was having the new recruits come up with communication strategies that they’ve used and share with us what worked and what didn't work.

The training went well and the recruits were very satisfied with the information that we gave them.