Opening Notes

Smiling woman with light skin and short brown hair, wearing a black blazer, pinstriped dress, and pearl necklace, standing indoors.

Dear Readers,

This issue is dedicated to a topic that is critical to all of us: emergency preparedness. While emergency preparedness affects everyone, it's one of the many areas of policy that needs to be approached differently for people with disabilities. We have heard harrowing stories over the years:

  • A former Council member stuck in her dorm room during an evacuation
  • A Partners in Policymaking® graduate stuck in an attic during a flood (You can read her story on pages 10-11)
  • Most of our community left without accessible information about the pandemic

The Council's core work is taking these stories and connecting them to the decisions made in government. That's the bridge that we exist to build. It has been exciting to start working with the TN Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and the TN Department of Health to integrate the disability perspective into statewide emergency planning. They have been great partners with genuine commitment to the disability community.

I hope reading this issue will leave you feeling that commitment by our state. I hope it also leaves you wanting to prepare with your family for emergencies. I love this quote from my favorite weather resource, Nashville Severe Weather: "Don't be scared, be prepared."

Sincerely,
Lauren Pearcy
Executive Director