CTC October Friday Forum – Voter Education, Registration, and Support

YOUR VOTE MATTERS!

All about voter education, registration, and support

PRESENTED BY:

Carole Rosen, Advocacy Program Specialist, The Arc of Illinois

Da Wen Mei, Self-Advocate, REV UP Illinois and Going Home Coalition

In this presentation, REV UP Illinois, a program of The Arc of Illinois, will cover the 5 w’s of voting. Participants will learn the importance of voter registration, how we register to vote, guiding individuals through the registration process, ballot options, accessing accommodations or resources tailored to a person’s needs, how guardianship supports people’s right to vote, how to research issues and candidates, and using support to cast a ballot. The presentation empowers individuals with disabilities to exercise their right to vote. Material is explained in plain language with examples.

Event is FREE but ADVANCED REGISTRATION is required by Wednesday, October 9th at: https://ctcoctober2024fridayforum.eventbrite.com

A Zoom link will be sent out the day before the event to those who have registered.

Educational Outreach events are designed to provide families, self-advocates, educators, and service providers with useful information related to the transition process as well as life in the community after educational entitlements end.

Da Wen Mei is a strong advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as a long-term participant of Going Home Coalition, www.goinghomeillinois.org. He is one of the founding members of REV UP Illinois and has been a REV UP co-presenter on voter education and registration at The Arc of Illinois, https://www.thearcofil.org, since 2022. Da Wen lives in the Chinatown neighborhood of Chicago, IL and has served as an Election Judge for 10 years.  He likes to always be active and go out.  Every summer he enjoys attending Joni and Friends Family Retreat.

As an Advocacy Program Specialist at The Arc of Illinois, Carole Rosen oversees Going Home Coalition and REV UP Illinois. Carole served as a governor-appointed member of The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities from 2014 until 2020. While serving on the Council, she served on its Executive Committee and chaired the Community Housing and Inclusion Committee. She is passionate about the need to create affordable community supported inclusive accessible housing options for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and has completed the Permanent Supported Housing Institute coordinated by The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), and The Supported Housing Providers Association (SHPA). Previously, she served on the board of the Collaborative Community Housing Initiative (CCHI). Her driving belief is that Community is strengthened by diversity and inclusion. Additionally, Carole is certified as a Financial Wellness Trainer for people with disabilities through the National Disability Institute. In addition to her Masters of Interior Design degree, she is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist with additional coursework in Universal Design. Carole and her husband, William, have a daughter who has developmental disabilities and a non-disabled son.