More than 200 AHRC NYC advocates made their voices heard at the Rally in the Valley on Friday, March 7th at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY. The rally, organized by Rockland County-based I/DD service provider Jawonio, drew representatives from nearly two dozen organizations across the state, including self-advocates, residents, family members, and employees.
“I’m here to support Medicaid and [AHRC NYC Board Member] Sharon Van Reepinghen and her son, Peter,” said Diana Oquendo, who lives with Peter at AHRC NYC’s Rupert Towers residence in Manhattan. “I always support the staff members who help me, and I want people like me to get jobs, too!”
What Disability Advocates Need
The most important call to action was for the federal government to protect Medicaid, the lifeline of disability services across the country and in NYS. Proposed cuts to this vital program would devastate people with disabilities and their families. Representative Mike Lawler, a critical vote in Congress, appeared at the rally and professed his longtime support for disability services providers. Contact Rep. Lawler to urge him to support and protect Medicaid.
Speakers called for the New York State legislature to support three key initiatives in their one-house budget proposal:
- A 7.8% targeted inflationary increase to support I/DD service providers, necessary to combat inflation amid years of disinvestment in our field
- The creation of a wage commission, made up of advocates, legislators, employees, and government officials, to determine a professional living wage for direct care providers
- Encourage rate setting to be restored from the Department of Health to NYS’s Office of People with Developmental Disabilities
“I want to get the 7.8% increase and support Medicaid!” said Eddie Pacheco from Bronx-based Dorothy and Michael Styler Day Services.
Avoiding “History’s Next Great Mistake”
One of the rally speakers was Serigne Niasse, a student at the Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program at BMCC.
“During my two years with the program, I’ve been given the opportunity to take college courses at BMCC, and I’m proud to say that I’m a straight-A student,” Serigne said.
I want to talk to you about healthcare, Medicaid, and disability rights. These rights are not special privileges, these are called rights because they are the most important part in making sure that me and my peers are treated with equality, dignity, and respect.”
Serigne Niasse
Cardell Sulker, a Community Support Supervisor at the Riggio Program at BMCC, said “I feel like if we don’t accept the reality that Medicaid cuts will have impacts on the lives of people with disabilities and their support workers (DSPs), people we will be faced with history’s next greatest mistake.”
Serigne added, “Disability rights mean equal access, not just to ramps and elevators, but access to opportunities, a fair shot at success and being seen as a contributing member of the world. Members of our community deserve to have a voice, we deserve to be included, and most importantly, we demand to be respected. Because disability rights are human rights. And it’s time the folks in Washington start acting like it.”
Watch local news coverage of the rally from News 12 Westchester.
