The Native American Disability Law Center is putting together an Intertribal Disability Advocacy Council, comprised of representatives of different Native communities across the country. The goal of the council is to identify common issues across the Native Disability community and recommend action steps to address these barriers.
If you are interested in becoming apart of the Intertribal Disability Advocacy Council, please contact Hoskie Benally, Community & Government Liaision at or Therese Yanan, Executive Director at
Intertribal Disability Advocacy Council
Goal
The goal of the Intertribal Disability Advocacy Council [IDAC] is to develop and enhance working relationships and connections among various Native communities and Native Americans with disabilities. The IDAC will conduct virtual listening sessions in each region of the United States to identify the gaps in services and needs facing Native Americans with disabilities. The IDAC is focused on enhancing working relationships with relevant federal agencies, congressional offices, and Native Americans with disabilities. The IDAC will center the voices of community members with lived experience and those who are marginalized based on disability, gender identify, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Composition
The IDAC will be comprised of 7 to 9 representatives from different Native communities representing 5 regions across the country – Northwest, Southwest, Plains, Northeast, and Southeast. At least 60% of the IDAC participants will be Native Americans with disabilities. Because the participants time and perspective are valued, stipends for meetings will be provided.
Structure
The IDAC will meet five to seven times over the upcoming year. Most of these meetings will be virtual and last 3 to 4 hours, with an in-person meeting scheduled later in the year. The in-person meeting is planned for a day and a half. The cost of travel, accommodations, and assistance for the in-person meeting will be covered.After an initial organizational meeting, each following meeting will be led by a different region. The IDAC representatives from that region help raise up the issues in their region by gathering others with disabilities from the communities in that region to identify the issues facing them and potential solutions.The final result of these meetings and discussions will be a report on the needs of Native Americans with disabilities, possible solutions to address these needs, and the role of the federal government in contributing to these solutions.
For more information contact Hoskie Benally, Community & Government Liaison