You've read the history and the background, now meet the families! This companion book to Meeting Families Where They Are traces the advocacy journeys of 12 caregivers across a range of racial, ethnic, social, disability, economic, and family identities. The stories reflect the unique lives, histories, and needs of each family, as well as the different approaches they employ to meet the needs of their children. Caregivers indicate when they began to advocate; describe how they continue their efforts across schools, medical offices, therapies, communities, and virtual spaces; and discuss how they adapt to changing social and health climates and educational delivery modes. They also share their collective wisdom to assist other parents who are new to the advocacy platform or are feeling discouraged with the process. This is must-reading for family members, teachers, administrators, health care personnel, and everyone invested in creating a culture of respect, love, and understanding.Book Features: Emphasizes how families have resisted the deficit-based view of their children while still utilizing systems of support. Identifies gaps and challenges across multiple systems, as well as "what's working." Incorporates the fields of special education and disability studies in education. Uses the framework of DisCrit to explore how disability and other social identities operate in tandem, examining concepts such as power, access, privilege, and barriers. Positions caregivers as experts in their children's lives, illustrating how they advocate for their children, teens, and young adults. Takes a deep dive into the nuances of generational, cultural, organizational, and geographical factors that impact how caregivers advocate. Resists approaches that typically involve professionals dictating what families need, centering instead on a collaborative model that includes families and professionals.

This book presents an in-depth discussion of how human disability and parental advocacy have been constructed in American society, including recommendations for a more authentically inclusive vision of parental advocacy. The authors provide a cultural-historical view of the conflation of racism, classism, and ableism that have left a deeply entrenched stigma-one that positions children with disabilities and children of color as less valuable than others. To redress these inequities, the authors offer a working model of co-constructed advocacy designed to benefit all families. Because advocacy is not a "one size fits all" endeavor, the authors propose meeting families where they are and learning their strengths and needs, while preparing and repositioning families to empower themselves.Book Features: Takes a cultural-historical view that explores the reasons why individuals with disabilities are so stigmatized. Shows how the intersection of different stigmatized identity markers, such as poverty, race, and language, have been woven into negative interpretations of "difference." Celebrates the history of parent advocacy in the United States since World War II. Examines how social and racial privilege have dictated which parent voices are heard. Proposes collaborative approaches that can produce more authentic and more representative advocacy. Explores the motivations and purposes that drive parent advocacy.