This document discusses finding your passion and voice through self-advocacy. It describes how Roland Johnson was a pioneer in the self-advocacy movement who inspired others to find their passion and voice. It explains that having passion means feeling emotion about issues that affect your life and knowing what is best for you. Having a voice means sharing concerns, speaking up, making plans, and supporting others. It provides an example of how People First of New Hampshire advocated together by voicing their concerns over budget cuts threatening services, which resulted in the cuts not going through as planned.

1. Finding Your Passion and Voice

2. One of our great pioneers of the self-advocacy movement in the
United States was Roland Johnson. He has been an inspiration to
find passion and voice.

3. Video Clip From The
Third International Self-Advocacy Conference, 1992
“Who’s In Control” by Roland Johnson

4. In order for YOU to be in control, you have to feel some emotion
about what is happening to you.
You have to be concerned, worried, afraid about your own life. That
is called “passion”.
You also have to know what is best, what you love, what you want.
That is also called “passion”
“Instead of reading about the problem
and worrying about it, I should do
something!”

6. In order for YOU to do something about the way you feel, you have
to have a “voice”.
You can have a voice by sharing your concerns, speaking-up, making
plans, supporting others to also have a voice together!
Having a voice means you are advocating about what you believe in!
“We have to speak-up and
voice our thoughts! It is the
only way to get what we
want in life! Remember, you
are often not alone!
Speak-up together!”

8. Here is an example of what People First of New
Hampshire has done:
• Last winter, we were concerned that budget
cuts would take away our services.
• We got together and talked about this and
shared our emotions, our worries, fears and
our anger.
• Then, our emotions turned into action and we
began to plan.
• We planned to get together with others to
share our concerns.
• By sharing our concerns we had a larger voice.
• We wrote individual letters to our
legislators, but we also took action as a group.
• We helped to organize a big rally in front of
the statehouse.
• Thousands of people came to share their
voices.
• As a result, we were heard and the budget
cuts did not happen as was planned.

9. Understand what makes you passionate.
What is it that you love – and - what is it that makes you
concerned?
Determine ways that you can voice your passion.
Advocate for yourself and others!
Prepared by People First of New Hampshire, 2011©