CALL TO ACTION
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
CHANGE HISTORY BY CHALLENGING IT!
SEND THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATORS A MESSAGE ON THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN & ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES & SENIORS

WHY SHOULD WE GET INVOLVED?
* To stand, be visible and respond and be heard in a strong, forceful, coordinated statewide unified voice for the rights of children and adults with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain injuries, the Blind, the Deaf, and seniors, children and adults with mental health needs.
. * To hold the Governor and EVERY legislator and other policy makers - and even ourselves, accountable for their actions that harm people with developmental and  other disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
* Everyone - people with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain injuries,  mental health needs, seniors; their families, in-home services workers and recipients, direct care workers, community-based providers and organizations, regional centers, independent living centers, area boards, statewide and local associations and groups, other advocates and friends in the community!

WHAT TO DO:
MAY 12 (WED)  Various Times (see below)
Speak Out Rallies against Governor's Budget Cuts
* The Home Care Council in coalition with other groups, is organizing series of "speak out" rallies against the proposed cuts by the Governor impacting people with disabilities and seniors - with a focus on in-home services for children and adults with disabilities and seniors, at each of the Governor's field offices: 5:00 PM at the Ronald Reagan State Office Building, Los Angeles.  The time for the other rallies is 11:30 AM at the Governor's Riverside, Fresno San Diego, San Francisco - and also the State Capitol (as part of the 5/12 Senior Rally)

MAY 13 (THU) Time To Be Announced
Rally Held Outside Auditorium (held same time) as Governor's Press Conference in Sacramento (local Sacramento area people)
* Like the rally held outside the State Capitol in response to the Governor's January 6 State of the State address that attracted over 1,000 people, a smaller rally is being organized to be held at the same time and outside the auditorium (likely in Sacramento) where the Governor will announce in a press conference, his revisions to his proposed 2004-2005 budget.
* The rally will be a response to the Governor's "May Revision" and his press conference to focus on the rights of people with disabilities and seniors - and protesting the Governor's cuts to in-home services and other programs critical to the rights of people with disabilities.  Details will be released on exact time and location later on Wednesday morning.

MAY 14 (FRI)  Between 10:45 AM to 1 PM
Rallies In Over 50 Communities Across the State
Events include people at busy street intersections in some downtown areas; more small rallies at local governor or legislative district offices, marches or rallies at city or county government offices - and even rallies at various newspaper offices (not to protest them, but to urge the media how critical these cuts are).  This is a cost effective, easy on time and resources for local communities to participate in an event that will be coordinated with other cities across California.  It is a great alternative for those people who have not been able to come to Sacramento for hearings and rallies, to participate.

WHAT EVENTS CAN YOUR COMMUNITY DO ON MAY 14TH?
* Your community event on Friday, May 14th does not need to be - and shouldn't be - an elaborate event. Make it simple. Make it easy.  The point is - to coordinate your event with others across the state, as a demonstration that our communities are uniting which takes us to the next step toward an organized effort to hold policy makers at every level accountable.  Possible events that you organize (local communities decide what they want to do) could be a march or a demonstration at your local downtown busy intersection or sidewalks of main street; rally or demonstration at your local newspaper (not a protest AGAINST them, but to let them know how the community feels about the Governor's proposed budget, as revised 5/13); rally or demonstration at your local city hall, county board of supervisors building or other similar location that could attract media attention (again NOT to protest against the city or county - but give reminder about impact of Governor's actions to local communities)
* Make sure any location is fully accessible.
* The May 14th "rallies across the state" and also the May 17-19 target letter/email/phone campaign, and also the other rallies and events scheduled can attract media attention - though coverage will vary from place to place.  There are two stories - the statewide coordinated effort as a response (both positive and negative) to whatever is proposed in the Governor's "May Revision" of his proposed budget - which is scheduled to come out May 13.  The second story is the actual event itself in your community - people organizing and connecting with others across the state.
* Combined, these represent the next steps toward efforts to organize and unify the entire state and to fight back on a permanent basis. This follows the successful huge rallies this past April, last January and December, the May 2003 "rallies across the state" and the April 2003 "The Whole World Is Watching" rally, march and legislative budget hearings that attracted an  over 3,000 people from everywhere in the state.

SOME QUESTIONS &  ANSWERS TO HELP IN PLANNING YOUR COMMUNITY ACTION:
Q.: Why was May 14th (Friday) picked to do the something statewide?
* The date (May 14) will follow less than 24 hours after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is scheduled to announce and release his revisions (called the "May Revise") to his proposed 2004-2005 budget.  The rallies and other events across the state are meant to be an immediate, swift response of the impact of his proposal (both good and bad) on people with disabilities and seniors in local communities. Even if the news is good - and there are rumors that some major cuts could be rescinded, we need to respond.
* For those people interested in organizing a local rally or event, see CDCAN website at www.cdcan.org or email martyomoto@rcip.com.   ANYONE can organize an event - its easy, because its in your own local community and the numbers can be anywhere from a dozen people to 300 or more. Last year over 1,000 people participated in over 20 different cities.
* Information about the specifics of the governor's current proposals - and those in his proposed revisions (called the "May Revise") will be posted on the CDCAN website, with talking points.

Q.: Why are events being planned for the same day (Friday May 14th)?
* Like last May 2003, simultaneous events, rallies, protests of varying sizes, in different locations in over 50 cities and communities across California are being organized in response to Governor's current budget cuts and the release on May 13th of his proposed budget revisions, impacting the lives and rights of children and adults with developmental and other disabilities and seniors, people with traumatic brain injuries.
* The "rallies across the state" will be a response to the Governor's "May Revision" and his 5/13 press conference, to focus attention on the rights of people with disabilities and seniors - and protesting (if cuts remain) the Governor's cuts to in-home services and other programs critical to the rights of people with disabilities (and respond to other changes or revisions including any possible good news)

Q.: What type of events can our community do in such a short time frame? How do I get one organized?
* You don't need permission - just do it!  Your event doesn't have to be big - just coordinate with others around the state!  Simply let CDCAN know you are doing an event, so we can link your name/phone number with local media, etc.
* Your local event does not need to be elaborate or big. See above for some ideas.  Also - we are going to have to learn to be able to ALWAYS respond from now on - on a permanent basis - on a short time frame. Events come up and move swiftly - and to be effective, we have to learn to be responsive (and even anticipate) those events.

Q.: How many people should we try to get for this event?
* As many as you can. At a minimum, a crowd of 30-60 people creates a nice image on a sidewalk or in front of a newspaper building or city hall (or other location). The larger the crowd the better - but start small, and build up - and really, any size crowd works.  Remember - part of the real power of this event comes from the fact that communities across the state - and potentially thousands of people everywhere - are joining together, taking the next steps to permanently organize to hold policy makers accountable.
* The crowd should  be diverse, not only with a mixture of people with developmental and other disabilities, mental health needs,  families, direct care workers and providers and other advocates - but culturally diverse too.

Q.: What should the crowd do or bring?
* Download talking points, etc  from the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.org  by Thursday evening.
* Posters - people should make posters with clear, simple messages like "Where Will We Go - If You Cut In-Home Services" "Where Will We Go - If You Cut Regional Center Community-Based Services"  Where Will We Go - If You Take My Rights Away" "WE Vote - and WE Remember!"  "We Have Rights - No More Cuts!"  "Remember My Face"  "Keep the Promise - Remember the Rights of People With Disabilities" "The Whole World Is Watching - Stand for the Rights of People With Disabilities"  "My Child's Life Matters" "Say No To Tax on Families With Disabilities"   or something like that.
* Pictures - 8 by 11 or even smaller pictures of people who receive services - held by family members, or by other people receiving services, or by the direct care staff or providers who provide those services. This is very, very effective.
* Noise makers - besides chanting, which is important, having other noisemakers is very important to draw attention to your event - and to create the perception of some excitement and power of your group.  Drums, bullhorn, cow bells - anything. Drums or something like that is very, very important in drawing attention and getting your marchers or crowd energized and focused.
* Voter Registration Forms - if possible, get voter registration forms (from your  county registrar of voters or often at your local post office) in case your event can register people to vote.  This should be a regular feature at all future events that we do everywhere as we are targeting people in key races for the November 2004 election.
* Monitors - If you are expecting a large crowd, your group should make sure there are volunteers to serve as "monitors" to lead the group, and to be at the end of any march (or rally) and to help provide information and assistance to participants (and to
help guide news media people to the right people).  You can make yellow armbands or have people wear yellow t-shirts, etc to designate them as "monitors" or "leads".

Q.: How long should the march or rally last on May 14th?
* About an hour or as long as needed.  Probably not shorter than an hour.
* If people from day programs or other programs are going to participate, they  providers should treat the event similar to a regular outing, in terms of planning for lunches, rest rooms, etc.  Doing that will make it easier on the local organizers who will then not need to worry specifically about those things.

Q.: How will the media (local and statewide) be notified of our local event?
* We will issue - along with your own group - a media advisory on Wednesday, and a press release early Friday morning  that will focus on your local event - but clearly tying it to events happening everywhere else in the state. Be sure to let us know if your community is planning an event on May 14th. (send email to martyomoto@rcip.com)  and the name(s) and phone numbers of local contacts (for media to contact)
* The release will clearly and simply spell out the reasons for your local events.  Specific local contacts will be listed in the local media advisory and press releases.

Q.: What do we tell our people about next steps after the May 14th events?
* Remind people over and over that these events are steps toward organizing our people - everyone - in every community - in every legislative district in California to create a permanent, powerful, united voice. No single event will make the changes we want or make the difference we need. Taken together, with other communities across the state, these events will be important if it moves us to the next step toward our goal. The crisis is on-going and we need to respond!
* Letter Writing Campaign Effort - see below regarding May 17-19 massive statewide phone/email/fax/letter campaign.
* Follow-up events for June and beyond including active effort toward constitutional disability rights initiative campaign/.

MAY 17 (MON)  1:00 PM to 2:45 PM
11th Disability Rights Townhall Telemeeting (see cdcan website)

MAY 17-19 (MON-WED)
Massive Targeted Letter/Phone/Email Campaign to Governor and Legislators
* Thousands of letters (US Mail and faxes), phone calls, and emails to targeted legislators district and State Capitol offices - and the Governor's offices, in response to the Governor's revisions on May 13, to his proposed 2004-2005 budget.  Send them a message of how the Governor's proposals impact the rights of children and adults with disabilities and seniors.
* Campaign to target specific legislative districts (in addition to your own legislators)
* Sample letters and talking points will be sent out Friday, May 14, and also be posted on the CDCAN website reflecting the specifics of the Governor's proposals.  It is rumored that the Governor's "May Revision" could possibly include rescinding some cuts to people with disabilities.
* Schedule visits and meetings at your local legislator's district office
* More details on who to write to (beside your OWN legislator), plus the Governor, will be posted on the CDCAN website - and also in another alert to be issued Wednesday (May 12).

ALSO RALLIES SCHEDULED AT STATE CAPITOL BY OTHER GROUPS:
MAY 12 (WED) Senior Rally Day
MAY 20 (THU) Capitol Action Day
* Two major rallies, being organized by other groups, are being organized on May 12 (Wednesday) and May 20 (Thursday) covering similar policy and budget issues and involving the same groups and people.
* Over 1,000 people are expected at each rally.
* The Senior Rally is an annual event, sponsored by a coalition of senior related groups, begins at 11:00 AM on the West Steps of the State Capitol
* The Capitol Action Day is sponsored by by PAI and CFIL and several other groups, begins at 12 noon on the West Steps of the State Capitol.
* More details will be issued as part of the next CDCAN Action Alert, and also posted on the CDCAN website.