Purpose

 Advocacy U is a Texas based resource that seeks to:

• Support and promote persons with disabilities, their family members, and allies as leaders and active participants in the disability rights movement;
• Provide access to a wide variety of advocacy training material, resources, and information; and
  
• Serve as a clearinghouse for collecting, organizing, and sharing advocacy information from contributors located within and outside of Texas.

Values

Advocacy U is based on the following values:

• 

  All people have worth and dignity.
• People with disabilities are entititled to the same human, legal, and civil rights as all other people.
  
• People with disabilities have the right to freedom from discrimination.
• People with disabilities and their families are entitled to the freedom, authority, and support to control, direct, and manage their own services, supports, and funding.
• Supports and services should promote full community inclusion.
• People with disabilities and their families must be included as decision makers and in leadership roles in all aspects of the service system.
• Service systems must be accountable and responsive to individuals with disabilities and their families, including those from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
• Advocacy efforts must be based on participation of and leadership by individuals with disabilities and their families and including those from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
  

Acknowledgments

There are numerous people and organizations within and outside of Texas who have contributed content and assisted with the development of this website. The developers are grateful for the help and support provided by self-advocates and the family members and allies of people with disabilities for the time and contributions they have made.