What is Opening Minds, Opening Doors?
Participants will be professionally trained to speak and present at conferences and other events. Through workshops focused on narrative storytelling and presentation techniques, participants will work to develop strong, creative voices, as well as the skills necessary to advocate for disability rights. Participants will also receive mentoring and coaching from the Project Coordinator, their peers, and other professionals.
Self-advocates will be encouraged to tell their life stories, their abilities, needs, hopes, and dreams. Through telling these stories, they will help to create positive change in public awareness and public policy that affects people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For many years, Art Spark Texas has worked with individuals with disabilities to give voice to a whole range of stories, memories, attitudes, and experiences not usually shared with the general public. We use an autobiographical performance format because it gives people a chance to put forth their own arguments and interpretations of who they are, and how they came to be.
It is our goal that participants in the program will gain increased self-esteem and confidence, thereby becoming more effective advocates for change. Through public speaking engagements, misconceptions about people with disabilities can be set straight with frank, moving, and engaging stories of their actual lives.
Who is Art Spark Texas?
Art Spark Texas challenges perceptions of how people contribute by creating an arts-inspired, inclusive community of individuals with diverse abilities. Learn more about Art Spark Texas >>
The Opening Minds, Opening Doors Project was made possible with funding from the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.