Santa Clara County is echoing calls for a Disability Community Accountability Advisory Board that includes marginalized voices in local decision-making. The Office of Disability Affairs is actively seeking representation from various disability communities in its efforts to solidify the "Nothing About Us Without Us" sentiment at the heart of policy development, per the County of Santa Clara.
This approach means representation across both intellectual and physical disability sectors, including people who are deaf, blind, or have other disabilities. Moreover, Santa Clara County strives to combat ableism by integrating into equity policies concerns of the disabled community. This holistic approach also encompasses socioeconomic realities like poverty and food scarcity.
The Santa Clara County Supervisor, Cindy Chavez, facilitated the creation of the Office of Disability Affairs in 2022. Its new Manager, Le Toudjida Allara has decades of experience in advocating for, including his co-founding of Strategies To Advance and Network Deaf Africans for Ubuntu, Inc. (STANDU), and ensuring the promotion of equity and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
For the County of Santa Clara Office of Disability Affairs, focusing on inclusive policies means prioritizing the safeguarding of bodily autonomy and self-determination for all. Creating this inclusive framework requires a cooperation-based in-house assembly of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Considering that one in four adults in the United States lives with some form of disability, awareness on a local level is critical. Santa Clara County's efforts aim to change the course, acknowledging both historical and present-day biases faced by disabled individuals, and working towards the removal of barriers that limit access and fairness.
Starting from November 1, Santa Clara County is inviting interested individuals or disability advocates to be considered for nomination to the Disability Community Accountability Advisory Board. The deadline for applications is December 4. This is an opportunity for those who aspire to join in crafting a more inclusive and accessible society.
