2015 AUCD Leadership in Advocacy Award

November 17, 2015

Shain accepting the award

The Leadership in Advocacy Award is presented to an outstanding individual or family member who has exhibited exceptional leadership and self-advocacy skills in the area of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Shain Neumeier, JD

Disability Rights New York (DRNY)
Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (PADD)

In Appreciation of Your Advocacy, Leadership, and Service

"Through legal, legislative, and policy advocacy, public protest, and online community-building, Shain has continually worked to advance the cause of disability rights. Drawing from both personal and professional experience as a disabled person working in disability advocacy, Shain's work has largely focused on promoting self-determination, freedom of choice, and bodily autonomy for disabled youth and adults, especially against harmful, coercive, or involuntary medical or psychiatric interventions. As an autistic person whose own support needs are not easily classifiable as "high" or "low" functioning, Shain is an eloquent advocate for the rights of disabled people to have needs supported in accordance with their individual desires, regardless of superficial generalizations of functionality or visibility of a disability."

 

AUCD President Olivia Raynor,  AUCD President-Elect Karen Edwards,  Award Recipient Shain Neumeier,  AUCD Executive Director Andy Imparato