Local politicians and community leaders attended a meeting yesterday at Kishwaukee Community Hospital’s Murphy Center to support the formation of a DeKalb chapter of a not-for-profit organization involved in advocacy and public awareness of disability-related issues.

Rep. John Countryman, R-DeKalb, DeKalb County State’s Attorney Phillip DiMarzio, Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Coghlan and County Clerk Terry Desmond were present, in addition to others who were concerned with issues relating to disabled persons.

In his opening statement, Jim DeJong, executive director of the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois, said that one person in ten has some form of a disability. Yet, the disabled do not receive the public support or legislative representation that is needed for change.

“Millions of dollars have been spent to keep people in closets. It’s about time we start investing in human potential,” DeJong said.

He said one reason disabled people do not receive adequate representation is because they do not communicate with each other. “We live across the street from each other, but we don’t talk to one another,” he said.

DeJong said, “This is our ‘coming-out party.’ We are announcing to the people that we are forming a chapter in DeKalb.”

He said although changes have been slow and incremental, they are beginning to happen. “Today’s laws are a direct result of our advocacy efforts in the past,” he added.

Gil Silverstein, who is on disablity-leave from NIU, said, “I worked at NIU for 25 years. They didn’t have a handicapped bathroom for about 20 of those years. It’s pretty basic but pretty important,” he added. DeJong said, “People aren’t handicapped. The environment is what handicaps people.”