Search
By Raymond Hampson, Board Treasurer, The Arc of California
Before I knew about The Arc of California’s advocacy presence in California, I was a father trying to advocate for my son without any compass, roadmap or any support outside of my immediate family. It was a very lonely feeling dealing with the school district, regional center, doctors and insurance companies, IHSS and any other organizations that were supposed to be there to support my son.
All that changed in 2007 when I was selected to participate in Partners in Policymaking, an advocacy training program organized by The Arc of California and funded by the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. I found a network of advocacy groups that were doing the heavy lifting, advocating for all people with development disabilities. And at the forefront of all these groups was The Arc of California.
The Arc has the collaborative network that I wish I had known about previous to 2007. In The Arc movement, I found a group of likeminded parents. I found out that I was not alone. I found out about issues that I had not even thought about. I became a better advocate for my son. And I became a better advocate for all people with disabilities!
I am forever grateful for all the parents who came before me that had the vision to start an organization as powerful in the advocacy movement for children and adults with disabilities as The Arc of the United States and The Arc of California. As I serve on the Board of Directors of The Arc of California, I hope to keep its legacy alive and build on what was started so very long ago.
Today, The Arc of California is a parent and self-advocate driven organization whose mission is to support better outcomes for people with disabilities. We invite you to join us in this movement of advancing equality, opportunity and inclusion for Californians with disabilities.