advocacy

Understanding Person-First vs. Identity-First Language: A Guide to Respectful Communication

08/26/24 - advocacy, disability awareness, Education, Inspiring People, jjslist.com, Person-First Language, Search, Inc., Self-Advocacy, Tools and aids - 0 Comments

By Kamaria Kali, Search Inc. Administrative and Development Assistant

At JJ’s List, our goal is to equip businesses with tools and trainings to become more accessible and welcoming to people with disabilities. In the pursuit of creating inclusive and respectful environments, one important aspect of communication…

Get Involved: Disability Pride Month 2024 with JJ’s List

08/01/24 - advocacy, disability awareness, Disability in the Media, Education, Independence, Inspiring People, Search, Inc., Self-Advocacy - 0 Comments

Each year in July, we celebrate Disability Pride Month in honor of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990. The ADA significantly improved the rights of people with disabilities across America and is considered a landmark piece of legislation for…

Mental Health Awareness Month: Promoting Inclusion and Understanding

05/30/24 - Accessibility in Public, advocacy, disability awareness, jjslist.com, Mental Illness, Person-First Language, Search, Inc., Self-Advocacy - 0 Comments

By Kamaria Kali, Search Inc. Administrative and Development Assistant

At JJ’s List, our mission has always been to bridge the gap between businesses and individuals with disabilities, fostering a more inclusive and understanding society. One critical aspect of this mission is promoting mental health awareness. Mental…

Advocating for a Raise for Direct Support Professionals

04/25/24 - advocacy, Disability Law, Education, jjslist.com, Search, Inc. - 0 Comments

On April 3, 2024, the Illinois Senate held a hearing on SB 3764. Sponsored by Senator Karina Villa (D-25), the bill has garnered bipartisan support and would increase the Direct Support Professional wage rate by $3.00/hour, effective January 1, 2025.

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are the…

Disability Advocate Profile: Leroy F. Moore Jr.

02/26/24 - advocacy, celebral palsy, cerebral palsy, disability awareness, Disability in the Media, jjslist.com, Self-Advocacy, Uncategorized - 0 Comments

By Kamaria Kali, Administrative and Development Assistant at Search Inc.

February is Black History Month, honoring generations of Black people in America who persevered through adversity and their important contributions. At Search and JJ’s List, we recognized Black History Month in many ways. One way we recognized…

Action Alert: Stop the Elimination of Direct Support Professional Hours

01/23/24 - advocacy, disability awareness, Disability Employment and Housing, Search, Inc., Self-Advocacy - 0 Comments

Update as of 1/25/2024: Thanks to your advocacy, the Illinois Department of Human Services – Developmental Disabilities Division (DHS-DDD) has decided not to move forward with funding cuts to Direct Support Professional hours, and will keep the current rate reimbursement structure until July 1, 2024….

JJ’s List 2023 Recap

12/26/23 - advocacy, Business News, disability awareness, Disability Awareness Players, Disability Awareness Training, jjslist.com, Search, Inc., Social Enterprise - 0 Comments

Looking back on this past year, our JJ’s List team is so grateful for all that we have accomplished. Thank all of our amazing partners who made this year’s successes possible! Our Disability Awareness Trainings trained many organizations throughout Chicagoland in 2023, including the Museum…

Summer Highlights

08/23/23 - Accessibility in Public, advocacy, Business News, Disability Employment and Housing, Disability-Aware Businesses, Disability-Aware Service, Education, Events, Inspiring People, JJ's List Fun, jjslist.com, Search, Inc., Self-Advocacy, Social Enterprise, Uncategorized - 0 Comments

Ignite, one of our Search Day programs, went on many adventures this summer. They explored the Chicagoland area by going to plays, movies, restaurants, beaches and more. They are excited to share their experience and they had so much fun! Read on to hear more…

Navigating the Changing Landscape of I/DD Services with Greg Petersen

07/31/23 - advocacy, Business News, Education, Independence, Search, Inc., Self-Advocacy - 0 Comments

Within the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) sector, the last few years have witnessed a surge of transformative changes in Illinois. This month, our team had the pleasure of interviewing Greg Petersen, Chief Executive Officer of Keystone Alliance, to gain valuable insights into the recent…

Pride Month: Reflection, Connection, and Celebration!

06/26/23 - advocacy, Education, Guest Blogger, Inspiring People, Search, Inc. - 0 Comments

By Beth Ann Kimura

Pride month is bittersweet for LGBTQIA+ community. It is a time of rememberance for what occurred during the Stonewall riots and discrimation that our community has faced. It is a time to recognize the pain and limitations our community continues to face….