Speaking Advocates

About Speaking Advocates

The Speaking Advocates are speakers with disabilities who advocate through sharing stories. By combining the art of storytelling with public speaking skills, they challenge misconceptions about what it means to live with a disability, demonstrating that we are all more alike than different. This group evolved from our Opening Minds, Opening Doors project, 2013-2017. Graduates go on to present at various events, large and small—from storytelling groups to state conferences, college classes to disability awareness trainings, and everything in between.

PUBLIC GROUP CLASSES

Speaking Advocates - Fall 2025
OCTOBER - DECEMBER @ Art Spark Texas offices
TELL YOUR STORY, GROW YOUR VOICE
Speaking Advocates is a six-week (or six session) workshop designed to enable neurodivergent adults with developmental and other disabilities to write personal stories and develop the public speaking skills to present those stories in a variety of venues (conferences, civic group meetings, schools, legislative sessions, etc.). Each workshop series ends with a Showcase where participants make presentations to an audience of friends, family and interested members of their local communities. These stories will also be recorded to be included in our TRUE TALES PODCAST.
Benefits of participating in a Speaking Advocates Workshop:
• Opportunity to write and share personal stories during the workshop, and later in
a public forum
• Experience a sense of community among the participants – this happens
organically because as we share our stories, we learn about each other
• Each writer-participant receives support in every stage of the process
• Learn basics of public speaking: using voice and body, movement, using
microphones, the importance of timing and many other basic tools for delivering
a great story.
• Telling your story is self-advocacy at its best!
• Explore possible venues/forums that could

Sign up for our newsletter to receive event and training updates. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 512-454-9912.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Podcast

The Speaking Advocates have developed a podcast! To listen, click here. Sign up for our newsletter below to get involved.

True Tales by Disability Advocates is a podcast produced by Art Spark Texas' Speaking Advocates Program. This podcast features authentic voices of people thriving with disabilities who share stories of their journey to advocacy.

Art Spark Texas Speaking Advocates
speaking advocates from art spark texas
Tell Your Story and Grow Your Voice - Speaking Advocates at Art Spark Texas Fall Classes

Opening Minds, Opening Doors (OMOD)

Each spring we offer an intensive six-week writing workshop where each participant develops an engaging personal story to present at a community showcase. This class is typically held on Saturday afternoons. View our complete curriculum here.

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