We are Kids As Self Advocates!

We model leadership and the power of self-advocacy. We are active in our schools, communities, families and places of employment. We share our message with other youth who have disabilities or chronic health conditions, as well as with our friends and peers. Our activities include:

• Representing the voice of youth living with disabilities and chronic health conditions by speaking to policy makers at public events and hearings

• Educating our communities, including students, teachers and administrators at our schools; medical students and physicians; and federally funded cafe and agencies and state programs

• Serving as advisors to the over 40,000 members of Family Voices across the country and organizations and agengies interested in promoting youth involvement and leadership

Our Theory of Change

In order to make a real difference in our communities and in this country, we work under a Theory of Change. What this means is that we have come up with the change we want to see for youth with disabilities in the U.S. and we have outlined how are working to make that happen. See how this works!

The KASA National Advisory Board

Our National Advisory Board consists of seven members and serves many purposes:

• The Advisory Board advises policy for the KASA project as a whole, including activities like this website, our newsletter, and meetings
• The Advisory Board leads all of the programming for KASA
• Advisory Board members are given an opportunity to sharpen their leadership skills
• The Advisory Board acts as a valuable resource to the media, professionals and other young adults regarding issues concerning young adults with disabilities

The KASA National Advisory Board and our members help determine what will be on the website based upon your input and submissions. We hope you will use our website to learn about subjects like advocacy, leadership, health care, education, employment, disability culture, and much more! If there is something you want to learn about that is not on the KASA website, please let us know.

Meet our National Advisory Board!

• Micah Fialka-Feldman
• Jen Halpert
• Samantha Henault
• Sarah Ingerson
• Jennifer Thomas
• Heidi Fletcher
• Shanea Blount
• Rajiv Root
• Chad Murphy-Price
• Matthew Potter

KASA National Youth Information, Training and Resource Center

The KASA Project is proud to be a place where youth can come to get information, training and resources that YOU need and how YOU want it. Learn more about the Center and meet our Task Force (the leadership team)!

KASA Opportunities

This is a two part document outlining how one can participate in KASA and the opportunities to develop and experience leadership. Written especially for youth. Download in Word Format

There are several groups that are working at the state and local levels, training and supporting youth advocates and emerging leaders in the ”KASA way”.  One of these groups that have become very successful and that we are working very closely with is our allies in the state of CT.  Please see more about them at www.ctkasa.org.