Disability Advocacy Day at the Capitol is March 25, 2025!

Tuesday, March 25
Pre-Rally - 9:30 - 10:45 am, Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda
Rally - 11:00 - 11:45 am, Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda
Meetings with legislators - All day!

Disability Advocacy Day is Tuesday, March 25. The pre-rally includes check-in, poster making, learning more about the MNCCD Policy Agenda, and connecting with fellow Disability Justice advocates. 

Register at https://bit.ly/3DbxcOp.

We are hosting an Advocacy 101 trainings prior to Disability Advocacy Day at the Capitol. 

​This Advocacy 101 training is for anyone looking to effectively advocate to their state lawmakers. This training provides you with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to influence the policy-making process, ensuring that your voice is heard on the issues that matter most to you and your community. By understanding how the legislative system works, understand who your lawmakers are, and how to navigate the channels of communication with your lawmakers, you'll be empowered to advocate strategically and confidently. This training will make you well prepared to advocate to your legislators for Disability Day at the Capitol.

This optional training will be held on Thursday, March 20 from 12:00-1:00pm on Zoom. Register in advance for the Advocacy 101 training here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/u1neYq8qQ_i-eFbNoLHvRQ 


ASL and CART will be provided. There will be chairs, a bariatric bench, and designated space for people who use wheelchairs. There will be a sensory friendly space available. 

For support with other access needs, contact Gene Martinez at [email protected].

Resource Guide


 
Introduction
Thank you for planning to attend 2025 Disability Advocacy Day at the Capitol. We are excited to advocate alongside you! On March 25, we will come together to advocate for the Minnesota Consortium Citizens with Disabilities 2025 policy agenda, while also uplifting the need to protect Medicaid and waiver services—essential lifelines for individuals with disabilities. This event will not only spotlight the urgent need to safeguard these critical programs but also honor the history and achievements of the disability rights movement. Throughout the day, we will reflect on the progress made, learn from the past, and unite in our commitment to ensuring a brighter future for people with disabilities. Your voice is crucial in this fight—together, we can continue to advocate for the rights, dignity, and access that every individual deserves.

If you have not registered, please register here. 

If you have questions about the event, contact Lily Hijazi-Sacay
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-756-5660

Event Information 
Disability Advocacy Day is a time for people with disabilities and supporters to come together and advocate for policy change.

When
Tuesday, March 25th, 2025
  • 9:30 - 10:45 am: Check-In and Pre-Rally
  • 10:45 - 11:00 am: Gather for the Rally
  • 11:00 - 11:45 am: Rally
  • All Day: Meet with legislators

Where
Minnesota State Capitol, Rotunda
75 Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Google Map and directions

From 9:30 - 10:30 am there will be a registration table where you can stop by to check in and ask questions about the event.

Theme
Disability Justice: Defining our Future, Remembering the Past

Attire
There is not a color theme this year, we invite you to wear shirts supporting your favorite organization or cause. 

Check-In and Pre-Rally, 9:30 - 10:45 am 
Location: Rotunda and 1st floor hallways
There will be materials for attendees to make posters centered around the event. 

Inclusion Mobile Museum, all day
Location: East Hall of the Capitol, off the Rotunda
A traveling exhibit that celebrates the journey from 1900 to the present to increase the independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion of Minnesotans with developmental disabilities and their families.

Sensory Friendly Space, 9:30 - 12:00 pm
Location: Justices’ Dining Room, lowest level of the Capitol - off the Rathskeller Dining Hall
There may be several hundred people at the rally, creating very loud noise. A room has been reserved to be a sensory friendly space. The rally will be streamed in this room. The room is reserved until noon.

Pre - Event Training: Advocacy 101

Advocacy 101 is for anyone looking to effectively advocate to their state lawmakers. This training provides you with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to influence the policy-making process, ensuring that your voice is heard on the issues that matter most to you and your community. 

By understanding how the legislative system works, understand who your lawmakers are, and how to navigate the channels of communication with your lawmakers, you'll be empowered to advocate strategically and confidently. This training will make you well prepared to advocate to your legislators for Disability Day at the Capitol.

When: March 20, 2025

Where: Virtual (Zoom) 

Registration is Required: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/u1neYq8qQ_i-eFbNoLHvRQ

Post Rally - Day of Event
Meeting with Your Legislators We hope everyone will find time to connect with elected officials during the day. It is so important for your legislator to learn from you about issues that are important in your life! 

It is best to schedule meetings in advance, if possible. Let them know that you are a constituent – someone who lives in their district – and share a brief personal story. 

Scheduling Legislator Meetings
Find who your representatives are using the Who Represents Me tool.

Reach out to your legislators office, both Representative and Senator, to schedule a meeting. Let the legislative assistant know that you will be at the Capitol on March 25th for Disability Advocacy Day and would like to meet in person if possible. If you cannot schedule an in-person meeting on the day of, the Legislative Assistant can help schedule a meeting on a different date, either remote or in-person. 

Find your legislator contact information here:
If you need help scheduling a legislator meeting, reach out to Lily Hijazi-Sacay, [email protected]

After the Event 

If you meet with elected officials, consider sending them a “thank you” card and your contact information following the event.  This will go a long way in helping them remember you and the issue(s) for which you’re advocating! 

Also after the event, you will receive an evaluation. Please take a few minutes to complete it, and share your feedback about Disability Advocacy Day at the Capitol.  It will be incredibly helpful as we plan and prepare for next year! 

Access Information

ASL and CART will be provided. There will also be chairs, a bariatric bench, designated space for people who use wheelchairs, and sensory friendly space. Do you have other access needs? Please Email Gene Martinez.

Public Transit
There are several public transportation options to consider when planning your trip to the Capitol Complex.

Metro Transit
There are three (3) Light Rail stations located in the Capitol Complex including:

  • the Capitol/Rice Street Station, just west of the State Capitol Building,
  • the Robert St Station, and 
  • the 10th Street Station
 Visit the Metro Transit website to plan your visit. 

Metro Mobility
There are drop off and pick up sites on Cedar Street (east of Capitol) and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The ground floor entrance (under front steps) is wheelchair accessible. Drop off location is 400 feet, or approximately 3/4 of a city block, from ground floor entrance.

Parking  
​
There are many public parking options throughout the Capital Complex. For a complete list of all the available parking options, visit the Minnesota Department of Administration website. 

Disability Parking
Public disability parking is available throughout the Capitol Complex. Be sure to arrive early and give yourself plenty of time to make your way to the Capitol Building. 

There are several accessible parking options available including:  
  •  10 free public accessible parking spaces on the first level of Ramp F, located on Freeman Avenue and Rice Street – adjacent to the Department of Transportation building. 
  • 20 free public accessible spaces in the Minnesota Senate Building ramp, accessible from Capitol Blvd, off of Sherburne Ave-Public Disability Parking only (no access from University Avenue). 
Visit the Capitol Complex Map Webpage for further details on each location. 

Street Parking
There is metered street parking around the Capitol complex. Some metered spots are a distance to travel and you will need to pay close attention to parking restrictions. 

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station
There are EV charging stations in Lot C and Ramp F on the 1st Level. Electric Vehicle owners visiting the Capitol Complex must pay for their parking at the pay station and may plug-in for a maximum of 4 hours. 

Capitol Complex Entrances 

There are many buildings and tunnels in the Capitol Complex and they can be difficult to navigate. As you make your way through them do not hesitate to ask others for directions, many of the people you will pass are there regularly and familiar with the complex.

Capitol Complex Building Maps
The following maps will help navigate the Capitol Complex.

*Note: The State Office Building is closed due to construction. House of Representative offices are temporarily located in the Centennial Building. The offices are only accessible by appointment. 

Tunnel System
The Capitol Complex tunnel system connects many of the buildings. 

Access is closed to the public in the tunnels connected to the Transportation Building and Veterans Service Building.

Lunch
After the rally, you may choose to grab lunch at one of the on site Cafeterias.

Resources
Telling your story is so important! Below are resources to help you plan for your legislator meeting and develop a personal story. 

The Arc Minnesota Advocacy Toolkit
The Arc Minnesota has an Advocacy Toolkit that is full of resources to help you feel informed and empowered to advocate for policy and systems change. Resources available in this toolkit include:
  • finding your elected officials
  • meeting with elected officials
  • writing letters or emails to elected officials 
  • sharing your story

Minnesota Governor’s Council Making Your Case Booklet
The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities has a booklet that can help you take part in the legislative process and positively influence public policy. Topics include:
  • communicating with legislators and public officials
  • roles and responsibilities of legislative staff
  • approaches for “making your case”
  • items specific to the Minnesota legislative process
  • glossary of terms

Minnesota Council on Disability - 2025 Bill Tracking for Disability Related Legislation 
The Minnesota Council on Disability (MCD) tracks disability-related bills that are introduced during the legislative session. The bill tracker is updated weekly.

Health Safety
Our priority is to maintain a safe environment for visitors, staff, and volunteers. 

If you are feeling sick, have symptoms, or have been in contact with someone who has recently been sick, please stay home.

Thank you for your continued support during this time. 

Event Hosts & Sponsors
Thank you to the following agencies for their financial contribution to Disability Advocacy Day! 


Thank you to the following agencies for co-hosting Disability Advocacy Day!