Overview
Empowerment means people having control over their own lives. It means having the power to live a life of one’s own choosing. Empowerment often requires self-advocacy - telling people who you are and what you need. Self-advocacy can help create a richer life, an empowered life.
The collection of videos below is designed to fight the societal stigmas that can sometimes stand in the way of people with developmental disabilities living rich, fulfilling lives. While each video has its own distinct message, empowerment lies at the core of every video in the series.
Empowerment: the state of being empowered to do something: the power, right, or authority to do something.
- Merriam-Webster
Help Us Empower People with Developmental Disabilities
Access and share the Empowerment Videos below.
I Am Anti-Stigma Videos
This series of videos, launched during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, builds on our statewide anti-stigma campaign called “Look Beyond My Developmental Disability.” Access these videos and learn how people with developmental disabilities define themselves and how they want you to see them.
The Art of Advocacy
In this video, self-advocates speak up and tell us what advocacy means to them and what they hope the future of advocacy will hold. This video was developed with the Self Advocacy Association of New York State.
Sexuality and People with Developmental Disabilities
In this educational set of videos, you will hear directly from people with developmental disabilities about the importance of open dialogue, information and community connection in helping people have meaningful relationships and supporting their sexual self-advocacy. These videos were developed with the training company Elevatus, the Self Advocacy Association of New York State (SANYS), and the filmmaker, the University of Minnesota. The videos will soon be accompanied by an online toolkit that will further assist self-advocates, professionals, and family members in supporting people with developmental disabilities around sexuality and relationships.
Autism Acceptance Month Social Media Campaign
This Autism Acceptance Month, We Want to Hear from You as we continue to #LookBeyond people’s disabilities and see them for all that they are. We encourage people to proclaim their autism as a fact about themselves and simply one part of who they are. There is such power in saying things out loud, power to change perceptions. Share YOUR original I Am Message with us! Use your voice to tell us who you are.

Who are You?
I am... ___________
How would You describe yourself? How do You want people to see You?
I am... ___________
Send us a photo of yourself to [email protected] and then fill in the blank after the words “I Am.” You may see yourself featured on our website or social media channels.
You can also share your “I Am” message on your own social media pages. You can tag us @Nysopwdd and use the hashtags #LookBeyond and #AutismAcceptanceMonth if you’d like us to “like” or “share” your message.
Examples:
I am a person with autism and I am___________ Look beyond my developmental disability. #LookBeyond #AutismAcceptanceMonth
I am autistic and I am _________ Look beyond my developmental disability. #LookBeyond #AutismAcceptanceMonth
Learn more about our “Look Beyond” Anti-Stigma Campaign
