By:  Sue Hutton

Members of the Self Advocates Council are no strangers to role playing about their rights. Role playing is a common tool we use at Council to learn about rights and important issues. Casseen Johnson has helped lead role plays with members of the Self Advocates Council, and at various Community Living Toronto programs. When invited to act in films about rights, Casseen was ready for action. Being a single mom living with an intellectual disability has given Casseen many opportunities to learn about her rights and how to advocate. She enjoys opportunities to help others learn about their rights too.

ARCH Disability Law invited the Self Advocates Council to work on some Rights Education films together. Casseen, along with Mike Edser and SAC friends Nancy Dickson and Susan Rossler from North York Supported Work and Community Activities are in lead roles in the films. They are also helping develop the scripts.

The films talk about Legal Guardianship – and what that really means. They are aimed at people with intellectual disabilities to have an opportunity to learn about their legal rights.

The film scripts are about issues that people with intellectual disabilities face every day in making their own decisions.

Mike, Casseen, Nancy and Susan have had a chance to work with lawyers from ARCH in developing the scripts over the last month. In talking about what’s important to SAC members over the years, the issue of making one’s own decisions is something SAC members are very comfortable with and happy to talk about. Working on a film project like this with ARCH lawyers is a fantastic next step in sharing this important advocacy information with everyone. Stay tuned for film screenings in the New Year!