There’s a moment Leah D. can point to from this year’s Partners in Policymaking program.
It was session six of the statewide disability rights advocacy training when the leadership team of SD Advocates for Change finished speaking and Kory, the participant Leah supports, raised his hand.
His question: “How do I join that group?”
“That’s a meaningful, thoughtful, purposeful question,” Leah wrote afterward. “That’s not a small thing.”
For Leah, that moment represented something bigger. Kory was connected to the conversation and already thinking about how he could become more involved in advocacy himself.
Six Weekends. One Team. Real Results.
From November 2025 through April 2026, Kory completed Partners in Policymaking with support from Leah D. and Kelly S., who support advocacy and civic engagement efforts at Black Hills Works.
Over six weekends in Pierre and Sioux Falls, Leah watched Kory grow in ways that were “hard to put into words but impossible to miss.”
By the end, he wasn’t just attending — he was asking questions, building friendships, and already thinking about what comes next. He wants to help more people find and use their voices.
Kory was also the only person receiving services in a class of 13 — something Leah hopes changes in the future.
“Wouldn’t it be great if there were more self-advocates in the room?”
A Belt Full of Tools
For Kelly, Partners in Policymaking was personal before it was professional.
Two of her sons are on the autism spectrum, and she said becoming an advocate taught her how important it is to understand systems, services, and how change happens.
“I came into this program with passion,” Kelly said. “I’m leaving with a belt full of tools.”
That included practicing mock testimony before real legislators.
“Hearing feedback from the legislators, realizing they were listening — it changed something in me,” she said. “It gave me a confidence I didn’t fully have before. I know now that I belong in those rooms.”
Why This Matters Beyond the Classroom
Partners in Policymaking isn’t just a training. It’s a reminder that policy shapes everyday life — from supports and services to whether adults with IDD can fully live, work, and participate in their communities.
People with IDD are people, full stop. Their preferences matter. Their votes matter. Their stories move legislators in ways that no policy brief ever will.
At Black Hills Works, we believe the disability community in the Black Hills should be a visible and influential presence in civic life — one where elected officials know us, hear us, and cannot afford to look past us.
That vision starts with moments like this one.
And the Icing on the Cake?
Kory’s mom shared how meaningful this experience has been for him today and into the future:
“Too often in this crazy, busy world we don’t make the time to step back and reflect about gratitude. We often forget to recognize the people around us and appreciate them. Even though I may not say it enough, thank you and I’m eternally grateful for having you all on Team Kory!”
