Kansans United
Posted September 19, 2011 by Mandy Smith in Advocacy
Last Friday a new advocacy group named Kansans United in Voice and Spirit held their first rally at the Statehouse. The turnout was good as far as such things go with a little over 250 people present on a cold and damp day. The group’s website states that they are “Concerned citizens of Kansas united to support, advocate for, and protect valuable state services programs and policies and to promote government by and for all Kansans.”
This collection of people representing a diverse population is, I think, a good sign. For years, folks with education, the disability community, the public employee lobby, public safety supporters, and others have each advocated mightily for their cause.
This approach, which indeed worked well for some, could not work well for all. Some groups have more support, more money, and some just yell louder. Seeing the cohesiveness that is beginning to be a staple in the advocacy scene, warms my heart.
We are all Kansans, regardless of any other identifying characteristic, that fact alone unites us. This post is not supporting one group or condoning their beliefs, it is simply my way of acknowledging and hopefully encouraging, all of our advocates to look around and at the people who may not be a part of the “disability community” but who are fighting such similar fights.
We should reach out to those folks, become involved in areas outside of just the disability arena and work towards a state that embodies all of the things we as Kansans hold dear.
