The Power of Self-Advocacy
Molly Kirkham, president of Speaking For Ourselves – Colorado, is a leader, an activist, and a poet.
Through her personal and educational experiences, Molly is developing vibrant self-advocacy which is catching on and influencing others to speak up for their rights. She is focusing on ways to inform youth and others with IDD about valuable life-changing resources such as The Arc.
“When someone first gets into self-advocacy - at the beginning - it will seem tough. You have to keep pushing and keep on going because it is a challenge. I think it will always be a challenge because a part of self-advocacy is breaking through barriers,” Molly said. “Even if you get a no just keep going because eventually there will be a yes.’’
Molly’s follow-through and positivity are among her many dynamic traits. The 22-year-old recalls speaking up for herself as early as elementary school. Ever since then, she has not gotten sidetracked from trying to make changes to systems and rules that need to be challenged.
“I have a rare genetic condition which is called 7P22.1 Deletion Syndrome,” Molly shared. “I have lived my life standing up for myself and others. I like to challenge myself to break my own boundaries of fear or uncertainty.”
The Arc—JCCGC is a Proud Participant in Molly’s Journey
Molly said she wishes more people knew about The Arc. Our chapter is a proud participant in her journey.
She first became acquainted with our organization when searching for information to enhance her high school experience. Consequently, she learned about Speaking for Ourselves – Colorado (SFO) through her connections at The Arc. SFO is a grassroots organization created to ensure that people with disabilities are treated as equals, and are given the same decisions, choices, rights, and responsibilities as everyone else. She enthusiastically joined SFO to be part of a group that facilitates positive change.
Molly became president of SFO - Colorado early this year.
“My big goal is to change the perception of the view that people have on disabilities,” Molly said. A big misconception people have about people with IDD is – they kind of put us all in a box - like when I apply for a job, they assume I need support.”
Molly added, “I think everyone has some sort of a disability – whether it’s math or other challenges. The main thing is humans are humans and we all have differences … If we just could remember that we are all human – that could take care of any misconceptions people have.”
Making Change at the National Level
Molly represented both The Arc JCCGC and SFO - Colorado at the Disability Policy Seminar in Washington D.C. this past March. She attended seminar sessions highlighting ways that advocates can engage with their members of Congress to express opinions about issues at the local, state, or federal level. Advancing employment opportunities, education priorities for students with disabilities, and why voting matters were some of the topics discussed.
Participating in a rally at the U.S. Capitol was among the highlights of the trip, Molly said. Disability rights advocates gathered to send an important message to Congress: people with disabilities have the right to live in the community, work, and have relationships.
“The trip to D.C. taught me a lot about self-advocacy, Molly shared. “I learned that self-advocacy involves a whole community. It taught me to keep pushing. A lot of people have the same opinions about the same issues, and they are very passionate. It helped to make connections (with likeminded people) which builds a strong community of self-advocates.”
Molly networked, learned a lot about disability policies, and left Washington D.C. with an expansive list of to-dos to help navigate next steps both for her personal self-advocacy and as SFO’s leader.
Helping youth with IDD feel less alone and providing them with resources to prepare for the future are among Molly’s priorities. This can be achieved, she said, if youth learn about organizations like The Arc and SFO when they are in high school and maybe even as early as middle school. Connections like this could help students cultivate social outlets, discover resources, and learn about self-advocacy.
In addition to her duties as SFO’s president and her day job, Molly organizes flash mobs, from time to time. She enjoys theater, acting, and writing poetry. In Molly’s words:
To Be a Human
There are always rules and laws for everything
The same goes for being a human
Here are the rules on how to be a human.
Number 1: You Must Fit into the Norm.
Second: You must be well educated.
Three: You must have an impressive job.
Four: You must be like everyone else.
Number 5: You must be successful.
What the rules should be:
Number 1: Be your own person.
Number 2: Try your best.
Number 3: Do what you love.
Number 4: Do things that make you proud.
Number 5: Be kind and respectful.
Number 6: Love yourself.
Number 7: Breathe air.
Number 8: Have a beating heart.
Advocacy in Action
Molly Kirkham’s ideas and actions are helping promote a greater understanding of issues that people with intellectual developmental disabilities face.
When she attended the Disability Policy Seminar - an annual federal legislative conference - this past March in Washington D.C., Molly met some Colorado State Representatives who offered to speak with her more about issues that affect people with IDD.
“Our state representatives told us to reach out to them, so I decided to take them up on that,” Molly said. Congressman Ed Perlmutter’s office was contacted. “I wanted to set up this meeting because I felt like it would be an opportunity to talk about issues that I felt could be changed for the better.”
Molly, Jilda Falco, The Arc-JCCGC’s director of adult advocacy, Perlmutter and Hannah Mullen, Perlmutter’s director of constituent services and events, met on June 17 at the congressman’s Lakewood office.
“I met with Ed Perlmutter to talk about important issues that I felt need to be addressed. I also wanted to meet him to get to know him as a regular person and not someone you can't see eye to eye with,” Molly shared. “I wanted him to understand that people are people no matter their differences. I wanted to make sure that people have a voice too!”
Self-advocacy and why it is important was among the many issues that Molly and Perlmutter discussed. She shared details about the challenges that people with IDD and disabilities face. In the meeting, Molly represented Speaking For Ourselves, People First, herself – as a self-advocate, and individuals with disabilities to help voice opinions that need to be heard and issues that need to be addressed.
“I was absolutely humbled to sit alongside Molly as she engaged in critical self-advocacy through her discussions with Congressman Ed Perlmutter,” Jilda said.
“Molly not only supported Congressman Perlmutter to gain a better understanding of the needs of people with IDD in District 7,” Jilda said, “but she also helped him decide that he needs to co-sponsor/support the following:
- SSI Restoration Act (S. 2065 / H.R. 3824)
- The Work Without Worry Act (S. 2108 / H.R. 4003) which would help young adults with disabilities work to the best of their abilities
- The Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act (H.R. 6405) which would eliminate marriage penalties for Social Security disability beneficiaries who receive benefits based on their parent’s records
Congressman Perlmutter was invited to attend The Arc National Convention in November. Jilda added that Perlmutter said he definitely wants to ensure someone is there to represent leadership in his District.
