Recently we stumbled upon a great organization called Self Advocates Becoming Empowered. SABE celebrated its 20th year at its national conference In late September of this year.

SABE's Mission is to ensure that people with disabilities are treated as equals and that they are given the same decisions, choices, rights, responsibilities, and chances to speak up to empower themselves; opportunities to make new friends; and to learn from their mistakes.

SABE believes that people with disabilities should be treated as equals; that they should be given the same decisions, choices, rights, responsibilities, and chances to speak up and empower themselves; that they should be able to make new friendships and renew old friendships just like everyone else; and that people with disabilities should be able to learn from their mistakes like everyone else.

SABE’s efforts are focused in several areas:
1. Eliminate institutions;
2. SABE will support affordable and accessible housing for all people in the community;
3. National healthcare for all people;
4. Equal employment opportunities for equal pay for all people;
5. People with disabilities will have self-advocacy at all stages of their lives with funding to support state, local and national self-advocacy organizations;
6. SABE will educate people with and without disabilities on the options, choices and alternatives to guardianship so that full guardianship is not an option whenever possible;
7. Relationships;
8. SABE will be a political powerhouse to work on legislation that effects people with disabilities lives;
9. SABE will advocate for individualized services for all people with disabilities;
10. SABE will support flexible and available accessible transportation (airlines, trains, buses) for all people in the community across the nation; and,
11. SABE will educate people – all people - about disability issues that are important in their lives.

To learn more about SABE and join their movement go to their website www.sabeusa.org.