Category: Advocacy Update

The $91-billion, two-year Wisconsin state budget is still in the hands of the legislative Joint Finance Committee (JFC), more than four months after being proposed by Governor Tony Evers. This isn’t unusual, and the Council is monitoring the JFC as it continues to work through… Continue Reading The Time is Now to Advocate for State Budget Priorities

Accessible Pedestrian Signals like this one make streets safe for everyone in your community. The Council’s advocacy priorities get reviewed each year to develop strategies that will achieve policy goals that benefit people with blindness and visual impairment. Making progress toward equitable transportation, accessibility, voting,… Continue Reading Advocacy Priorities Work to Build Equity

Getting where you need to go reliably on schedule is key to having a job, accessing healthcare and getting to a store for necessities. Reliable transportation can also link you to family and friends. Legislators may not know that nondrivers face many barriers to accessing transportation. About 65 percent of people who are blind or visually impaired are unemployed, and a comprehensive public transportation system is a critical to the ability to start and keep a job. Continue Reading Advocating for Action in the State Budget

Voters who are blind and visually impaired in Wisconsin face many challenges when casting a ballot. These voters encounter hoops others do not have to navigate including getting a ballot in a user-friendly format and finding a way to fill it out and return it… Continue Reading Voting for Everyone

Say you need to navigate an unsafe intersection regularly that would be vastly improved with an accessible pedestrian signal. How would you go about advocating for the upgrade? Who could you contact? While you might think that reaching out to your legislator is the best… Continue Reading Knowing Where to Advocate

What is the best way to affect positive change? There are several facets of advocacy: education, self-advocacy, litigation and lobbying. Knowing where to start can help you be most effective in your advocacy efforts. This piece will focus on self-advocacy, which is often the quickest and… Continue Reading How Self-Advocacy Can Educate and Affect Positive Change

Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired staff serve on statewide coalitions that empower people with disabilities to have accessible voting and transportation options. One of these coalitions is the Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition (WDVC). Among other activities, the WDVC shares real voter experiences… Continue Reading Overcoming Barriers to Voting

This month, at least eight Wisconsin cities are proclaiming White Cane Safety Day at their City Council meetings: Eau Claire Janesville La Crosse Madison Mequon Oshkosh Stevens Point Sun Prairie If you live in one of these towns, attend the virtual City Council meeting. Consider… Continue Reading Multiple Cities Honor Pedestrian Safety: Do Your Part

Voting absentee is a safe option during the COVID-19 pandemic, but requires a witness. Someone who is blind or visually impaired may also need an assistant to ensure their ballot is marked correctly. According to a study by Rutgers University, voting among people with disabilities… Continue Reading Make Your Voting Plan