Although I’ve been in ADAPT since 1985, I am new at CDR and just experienced my first Albany action. It was definitely that – an experience. I’ve always wondered, given CDR’s national reputation among disability activists, “How do they do it?” Now I have seen it first hand.

The decision to go to Albany on the day of the emergency budget session was made one week before. This is when state budget cuts were announced. On that day, a preliminary action alert was sent out by the Advocacy Team, and logistical work began. That included ordering two charter buses that could accommodate over 40 people each, and starting an ever growing list of staff and volunteers from all departments who wanted to make the all day trip, which requires three and a half hours each way plus the protest time in Albany.

To build momentum for the action, Anita Cameron sent out an alert through the “Capwiz” email system, which allows people to easily edit and send a personalized letter to the targeted policy makers, in this case, the Governor, legislative leadership and the sender’s local representatives. This generated over FOUR THOUSAND faxes and emails.

In addition, and for the first time, CDR used its advanced phone capabilities to set up a “call center”. Gene Spinning worked with the IT Department to set up an easy way for staff and volunteers to call the many people threatened by the cuts, consumers and personal assistants, and then transfer their call on the spot to the Governor’s office so that they could personally register their concerns about the budget without having to make their own separate call. This generated hundreds of calls to the Governor.

Meanwhile, since we knew that Capitol security would confiscate obvious protest signs, we asked protesters to make signs by writing in big letters on plastic shower curtains that we could fold into people’s back packs. With major help from Anita O’Brien, Mary Anne Price and Susan Norwood at CDR’s Recreation Center, staff and volunteers made ten huge shower curtain signs with slogans like “Stop the Cuts to Home Care” and “Don’t Target Us.”

In the few days leading up to the action, there were flurries of emails, phone calls and small meetings to make sure that everyone was on the same page building up to the big day. There was also a conference call among the leaders of the various state groups to assure that everyone was involved in the planning and could communicate with the protesters from their local groups. There was a press release that didn’t reveal too much about our specific plans, and a leaflet with a big bull’s eye on it, saying “Don’t Target Us,” that could be used as an individual sign for people to hold up while chanting.

Then everyone from CDR and RCIL gathered at 5:30 a.m. yesterday morning for a roll call and briefing in the front lobby. We filled our buses with a total of 73 activists and headed out for Albany at 7:00 a.m., right on schedule.

Arriving in Albany at 10:30 a.m., we were joined by a huge statewide contingent of disability activists. This contingent included activists from, Disabled in Action of NYC and members of Independent Living Centers from Buffalo, Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, Plattsburgh, Troy, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Long Island, Glens Falls, North Country and probably several others that I missed!

Moving in a steady stream through the Empire State Plaza to the “War Room” of the Capitol, everyone gathered under the historical paintings on the cathedral ceiling and began chanting. The power of our voices echoed throughout the Capitol, and continued without stopping for over two hours, and resumed again after the traditional ADAPT lunch from McDonalds.

We knew we were heard, but we got no response, so the leadership team decided to push harder for a meeting with the Governor. I was one of the first three to approach the glass doors separating the War Room corridor from the Governor’s offices. Our gentle and urgent request for a meeting was quickly rebuffed through glass doors, as more poured into the corridor and the pressure built. Security wanted a path of travel for people to come out from the office, but people were too packed in. Then the State Troopers opened the door to allow some official (rumor has it as the Mayor of the City of Albany) to go in, so we tried to hold the door open and go in.

At that point, some of the security officers began trying to shove and lift two of us in motorized chairs, Debbie Bonomo and myself, in ways that were as violent as I’ve seen in over 20 years with ADAPT. The officers were angry and used unnecessary force in a way that could not possibly get the result they wanted but could have caused injury. By lucky accident, it didn’t. After a few minutes of struggle, cooler heads prevailed, and staff invited two people in, which led to a negotiated meeting of the leadership team with Governor Paterson within the hour!

So, for all who have wondered, that’s how CDR does it!