SANDRA HARRELL:
Welcome, everyone.

Thanks for coming.

Today we'll be getting started
right at 2:00 PM Eastern time

and letting everybody
else in the room.

So I just wanted to
say welcome, and we'll

get started in
about four minutes.

This is Sandra.

Welcome, everyone.

We'll be getting started
in about one minute.

I just want to make sure
that you didn't have

to listen to total dead air.

We'll be getting started
in about probably 45

seconds at this point.

OK, welcome, everyone.

Thank you so much for
joining our webinar today.

I'm Sandra Harrell,
with Activating Change.

And we are so
pleased to bring you

this webinar as part of
our End Abuse of People

with Disabilities
webinar series.

I am a white woman, with
dark-rimmed glasses,

and blonde hair.

I'm wearing a dark
blue navy pullover.

And I'm coming to you
from my home office, that

has a love seat behind
me with pillows on it,

and a yellow or
mustard color curtain

hanging against the wall.

Before we get started today,
we wanted to provide you

with some information about--

some of the accessibility
features of our Zoom webinar

platform, as well as how
you can interact with us

throughout the session today.

First of all, you should be
in listen only/view only mode.

That means you can
hear and see us,

but we cannot hear and see you.

We do have live captions
for our event today.

We have a live captioner.

We do use the built-in Zoom
webinar for our captions.

So if you would like
to turn on captioning,

please go to the
closed captions symbol

at the bottom of your
screen and select the arrow

to the right of that icon.

The words underneath the icon
should say live transcript.

You can either then
select, show subtitle

or view full transcript.

So once you do that,
you will see the words

I am speaking, appearing
below my video window

if you're in show subtitle mode,
or to the right of your Zoom

window if you are looking
at the full transcript.

Please do note that the full
transcript view may obstruct

your view of the
chat, so you may

have to rearrange your
windows a little bit

depending on what you need.

We do have a
multilingual space today.

We have American sign
language interpretation

and Spanish language
interpretation available.

We have posted how to
access Spanish language

interpretation in the chat.

And then we also
wanted to note that we

will be pausing every 15 minutes
for an interpreter switch.

This is just to
ensure the highest

quality of interpretation.

When that switch
happens, you will

hear my voice come on,
I won't put my video on,

but my voice will come
on to just say, hey,

we're going to pause for
an interpreter switch.

Don't be alarmed
when that happens.

It's just a way to make sure
that everyone has full access

throughout our event today.

Meaning, everyone is able
to know when to redirect

their eyes back to the screen.

So you'll be hearing my
voice a couple of times,

but that is only to do
this interpreter switch.

We also like to make note that
it is really important to us

to have complete access
during our virtual sessions.

So if we do have a
technical problem,

we will pause to
address the issue.

A lot of times the
issues may be user error,

and we'll work with
person one-on-one

to try to resolve that.

If it happens to be
a system wide error

and we're getting reports
from a lot of different people

that there's a
certain problem, we

may have to cancel this session
because if it's a system

wide error, it's not
something that we

can correct through any amount
of technical assistance.

So if we do have to
cancel the session,

please note that we will
send an email to you

with further information
about the rescheduled session.

It's very rare that we have
to do that these days, but we

like to make note of that
just in case something happens

and we lose control
over our technology.

We do have the chat pod
available to you today,

as well as a Q&A pod
available to you.

We ask that you use the chat pod
to communicate with our hosts

and with the other participants.

But we ask that as
much as possible,

if you have a question
for the presenters

that you please post
that into the Q&A pod

so it doesn't get lost.

It's just much easier to
manage an influx of questions

if they're all in one place.

Plus, we'll be posting links
throughout this session

into the chat pod and
it's just much easier

to keep that a little less
busy by putting all of your Q&A

or any of your questions
into the Q&A pod.

Another note, if you
would like to ask

a question in American sign
language or another language

that you have requested,
please raise your hand.

We will confirm
your need and then

we will be able to give
you microphone or video

privileges, whichever you need.

Just a note that
we will be holding

the majority of the
questions until the end

of this discussion.

One final note
about the chat pod,

and that is that you cannot save
the chat or copy and paste from

the chat.

This is a security
measure following

a handful of unfortunate Zoom
bombings that happened for us.

So if we share
links in the chat,

we'll make sure to include them
in the participant materials

for this session as well.

And finally, before I
turn this over to Leah.

A note about your
view, you should

be seeing all of our
panelists in gallery view.

So right now on your
screen, you should see me

and you should see
our ASL interpreter.

And then when Leah and Cindy
join, I'll leave the screen,

and you should be seeing Leah,
Cindy and the American sign

language interpreter.

At any point, if that's
not happening for you,

please reach out to
us in the chat and we

will help you troubleshoot to
figure out how to fix your view.

And for those of you,
I know a lot of you

will start listening
to this session

and be like, oh, this is great.

I want to share it
with my colleagues.

Don't worry, we will be
recording today's webinar

and we will be posting the
recording and the PowerPoint

and any links that we share
to our End Abusive People

with Disabilities website
within the next couple of weeks.

And we will be posting
a record of attendance

for this session in the chat pod
towards the end of the webinar.

So with all of that, I
would like to welcome Leah,

and I believe Cindy, but I
think maybe just Leah for now

to the floor, and I'll
turn it over to you.

LEAH GREEN: Thanks, Sandra.

I'm Leah Green, and
I am a senior program

associate at Activating Change.

I'm a fat, white woman,
with tortoiseshell glasses,

and curly bangs.

I'm joining you from my
home office in the basement,

and you can see a
jungle mural behind me

and a white chair
in the background

with a yellow blanket on top.

Today, we're going to talk
about centering our movements

around self-advocates.

So here in a minute, we're
going to launch a poll

to learn a little bit more
about all of you joining--

excuse me-- joining us today.

I then am going to share
a few brief PowerPoint

slides to center us on the
topic of self-advocacy.

And then the bulk
of our time together

is going to be hearing
from a self-advocate named

Cindy Bentley, who
we will introduce

and who will join us later.

So let's start with
the poll questions

to learn a little
bit more about you.

Tere, could you launch
the first question?

So the first poll question is,
"what category best describes

your organization?"

We'll just give you
a minute to respond.

Almost all of you
have responded.

It's looking like we have a
mostly advocacy programs, a lot

of disability organizations.

If you put other, feel free
to put that in the chat box

what your other is.

Just waiting to see if
there's anyone else.

He wants to join.

And then actually, it looks like
we already have our second pole

question going at the
same time which is,

"what is collaboration with
self-advocates looked like

in your work?"

We're going to dive real deep
into what self-advocacy means.

But just to answer
this question,

self-advocate is a
person with a disability

that has received
training to advocate

for themselves and others.

So what has collaborating
with self-advocates

looked like in your work?

Give you about 30 more
seconds to respond.

We're going to end the poll.

Share the results with you all.

So it looks like
60% of folks are

from advocacy programs
working in domestic violence,

sexual assault advocacy
programs, 22% of you

are from disability
organizations,

and then almost the same amount
of defined yourself as other.

And again, feel free to just
pop that in the chat box

if you want us to know
what other means to you.

And then our second
pole question

about collaborating
with self-advocates.

It looks like about
a fourth of you

say that your organization
proactively seeks out

self-advocates to collaborate
with on a consistent basis,

including joining your
board of directors.

40% of you have said your
organization has collaborated

with self-advocates on occasion
and for specific projects.

Looks like about
almost 10% of you

said your organization hasn't
yet meaningfully collaborated

with self-advocates.

Super glad you're here.

I think you will learn a lot.

And then it looks like about a
fourth of you have also said,

I'm not sure what
a self-advocate is

or what collaboration looks
like, but I am ready to learn.

So again, you have found
the right place to be.

So we'll stop sharing those.

So I'm going to just share
a PowerPoint so we can just

learn a little bit more
about self-advocacy

from a bird's eye view.

So this is our webinar--

Nothing About Us Without Us--

Centering the movement
around self-advocates.

So just a brief history
about self-advocacy.

As many of us on this webinar
know, people with disabilities

have historically had people
around them making decisions

that impact their life.

So here on the screen, we
show the court system, parents

and guardians, doctors
and psychiatrists,

caseworker, there are
others, those are maybe

the four most common.

Other people, these people
have decided what they can do,

what they need, and
what they can have.

So the self-advocacy movement
was born in the 1960s in Sweden,

and the idea spread then to
Great Britain, and Canada,

and the US in the early '70s.

And in Oregon, a group in the
early '70s called People First

was formed.

Because they felt like
their disabilities

were secondary to there being
a person first and foremost.

So they named their
organization People First.

From there, the idea
of self-advocacy

spread across North America.

So what do we mean
by self-advocate?

A self-advocate is someone who
has learned how to speak up

for themselves and the things
that are important to them,

and they can ask for what
they want and what they need.

They also are aware of their
rights and responsibilities.

And they make the
choices and decisions

that affect their lives.

We're going to spend a lot
of this webinar talking

about how to authentically
collaborate with self-advocates.

So here at the top,
we just want to define

what that authentic
collaboration can look like.

So authentic collaboration
with self-advocates

requires that you include
them in meaningful ways

into your work.

So you need to create an
environment where they're

allowed to make decisions.

They have the opportunity
to learn leadership skills.

They're able to see change and
progress as a direct result

of their contributions.

They have ownership and control
in the decision making process.

And they are
respected, and trusted,

and their voices are
heard and valued.

SANDRA HARRELL: This is Sandra
calls for an interpreter switch.

LEAH GREEN: So we're going to
now have Cindy Bentley join

the conversation with us.

So I'm going to stop sharing.

And Cindy, if you could come on
camera while I introduce you.

Cindy Bentley--
oh, there you go.

Cindy Bentley is an
incredible person

for a number of reasons,
just a few of which are.

Cindy is a former Special
Olympics International Female

Athlete of the Year, having
won multiple gold medals

from the International
Special Olympics.

Cindy has had dinner at
the White House twice,

meeting two
different presidents.

Cindy was asked by
the Wisconsin governor

to be the first person
with a disability

to serve on the
Wisconsin council

on Developmental
Disabilities and still serves

on several boards today.

And last but certainly
not least, Cindy

helped create and is now the
executive director of People

First Wisconsin, an
organization which helps people

with disabilities speak up and
make decisions for themselves.

Cindy, I'm very delighted
to be with you today.

Would you like to
introduce yourself?

CINDY BENTLEY: Yes.

Good afternoon.

My name is Cindy Bentley,
I'm the executive director

of the People First Wisconsin.

I'm wearing a yellow
blouse, with a flower--

oh, different things in it,
black pants, black tennis shoes,

and white socks.

I have short hair, and
I'm wearing earrings.

And I'm in my operation
manager's house

doing the webinar,
and heard on the table

there is a candy dish
flowers, thing with napkins,

my water bottle, some
candy, chocolate, and then

my little thing that makes it
a little bit brighter in here.

And of course my Snoopy cup
that had coffee in and my strip

the paper for today.

So that's it.

LEAH GREEN: Thanks, Cindy.

I'm jealous of the snacks
you have on your table.

I just have water.

You really sets--

CINDY BENTLEY: The only thing
is missing is my kitty cat.

She's at home.

I have a cat.

Actually, I'm surrounded by
two sweet baby doggies, so.

LEAH GREEN: That's sweet.

So Cindy, could you just
tell us a little bit more

about your work at
People First Wisconsin?

CINDY BENTLEY: Yes, People First
is a statewide advocacy group.

People First was started in
Scotland, and Lisa Mills which

came from Scotland that
lives in Madison, Wisconsin,

she thought we should
have a People First,

so people can be able
to talk for themselves.

So I've got involved
with People First

from Lisa Mills, been in
it ever since not working.

First I was just a member.

And then my friend asked
me if I wanted to--

there was a job opening
at People First.

And she said, you need to like--

come on, Cindy.

You need to apply for this.

I told her I didn't
have a college degree,

but I found out you don't need
a college degree to advocate.

So I got the job right
before my birthday.

And I've been working at
People First with 26 years,

going on 27.

Yeah.

LEAH GREEN: Wow.

Thank you, Cindy.

Could you tell us
a little bit more

about the kind of work
that People First does?

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah.

People First, we
advocate for the people

and with people
advocates for people

with and without disabilities.

We talk to our governor's
office about things

that we want changed.

And now, you know, to
the governor's aide,

like on caregiving, housing,
we have three barriers

in People First--

housing, transportation, and
of course, in jobs employment.

So we want people
like myself working.

We don't want to be
in a shelter workshop.

I started out in a
sheltered workshop

and it was just not for me.

LEAH GREEN: I love
that thing, Cindy.

CINDY BENTLEY: So many
barriers, you know.

So many barriers to
people with disability.

They still don't
think people can work.

And my friends still don't
have a job, their dream job.

I happened to get my dream
job in this working for People

First, and it gave me a lot of
confidence that I can do this.

I don't have to go
to college at all.

You just need to be advocating
for what you believe in.

So there you go.

LEAH GREEN: Thank you, Cindy.

I love that one.

On this webinar,
you're going to be

bringing a lot of your own
experience as a self-advocate.

But also as the
executive director

supporting a lot
of self-advocates

in your community, and that
support and supervision

you provide.

So you'll be bringing a lot of
perspectives to the table today.

CINDY BENTLEY: Absolutely.

LEAH GREEN: So as we
talked about before,

the webinar is called
Nothing About Us Without Us.

So I just thought,
let's start there.

What does that
phrase mean to you?

And your work?

CINDY BENTLEY: Well, it means
you cannot do anything without

us.

You can't be making decisions
that we don't approve of.

You need to ask
people, you also need

to have people around the table.

I sit on a lot of boards.

We need more diversity on
boards, and we be running it.

We are on the board.

And I always say, I'm not
on your board for charity.

I'm on your board because
we help you change things

in the world, change things.

And so you asked me to be on
the board, governor's board

or whatever.

Then I have my own voice to
what I think should change,

and what my peers, and we need
more people around the table.

Not just put a
person on the board

because you need to
fill a gap in there.

You need to have a person on the
board because we want to help.

More numbers and power,
you need to listen

to people with
disabilities around boards

and around whatever,
because we're

pretty smart people if we're
given a chance to use our voice.

Yeah.

LEAH GREEN: Thank you.

CINDY BENTLEY: You're welcome.

LEAH GREEN: You know,
I've read the book

that was written about you.

And--

CINDY BENTLEY: Champion.

Yes.

LEAH GREEN: Yes, I was going
to have it right next to me

to show, but I left it upstairs.

So I read a lot about
your life, and we

have spent a lot of time
talking about your life.

And I'm wondering if
there's a little bit more

that you can share about your
experiences earlier in life

before you were made an
executive director that really

sort of you weren't allowed
to make as many decisions.

And so sort of--

CINDY BENTLEY: You
know, I was actually--

Yeah.

LEAH GREEN: --Yeah.

CINDY BENTLEY: I was actually
in a state institution,

not because I was bad.

My mother, of course, was
born with a lot of problems,

only given 24 hours to live.

Foster care ladies
decided to burn,

gave me third degree
burns, landed up

at the institution
with no voice.

No one was listening,
not one person.

Everything was done for me.

I couldn't pick out my clothes,
or what I wanted to eat,

or when I wanted to get up.

We got up at 4:30 in the morning
to wait, to eat at 7:00 AM.

And sometimes I
cried myself to sleep

because sometimes they put us to
bed so early I couldn't sleep.

Not when the sun's out yet
and it's still light out.

But then I left the
institution June 1st, 1984,

where that's where my life
began in Oakland Group Home,

which was to me a small
little institution.

But at the time
I was scared too.

But I remember my
guardian told me

you're not going back
to southern, so we're

going to have to make best
of what I have out here.

It was rough for a while.

But I was in Special Olympics.

And I think that's
what saved my life too.

I continue to be in Special
Olympics when I left the center,

and that's really helps me.

And it took me
places, as you notice.

But I guess somebody coming
out of an institution,

they never had the
wildest dream that I would

be a director of anything.

Because I say this in
all my conversations

to the psychologists,
just came out

of the psychologists,
not mouth, not mine,

that he wasn't going
to amount to anything

and you would have to stay.

You would have to
live in a group home

and work in a shelter workshop.

A, I don't live in a group home.

And B, I don't work
in a shelter workshop.

I walk right out of
the shelter workshop

because it wasn't for me and
it was not challenging enough.

I wanted a real job, where
I met Dr. Laura Owens.

And when I met her,
my work started.

I got had all kinds of jobs.

But my dream job is
what I'm doing now.

And so I look at myself
in the mirror sometimes,

Am I executive?

But I had to earn that
right to be a director.

I had to prove to
people that I could

do this with the right help.

I have a job coach.

And I have a operation manager.

And everything makes
sure I have everything

I need every day like this,
getting me ready for this today.

I need a little help.

I'm not a good writer.

I'm a good talker, which is
good because that's my gift.

My gift is not writing
or the computers.

But when I talk, I
talk from the heart,

and let people know that I
may not can do everything,

but I can do what I can do and
show people that I can do this.

And I'm always getting praises.

In Wisconsin, I'm the first
director that gets paid.

The first director.

Not the last director,
but the first.

That gets to be the director
with everything in place

and getting a decent wage.

And so that's what
it's all about.

To me, it's not about the money.

It's about that I'm
helping my peer.

My thing was to help people
with disabilities to the best

person they've been.

When I was born, we
didn't have a voice.

We were just sent
to institutions

and sent out of our community.

Not no more.

This is the 21st century.

So we want to show people
that we can do what we can.

Just give us a chance,
talk to us, get to know us.

I'm funny.

I like sports, all
kinds of things.

But I need to be working.

I feel good when I'm working.

Not just sitting at
home watching TV.

Making my own
money, and buy what

I want to buy with my money.

Somebody telling me,
oh, you can't have this,

you can't have that.

And so.

yeah, I buy my own
groceries, buy everything,

and I got have to have money.

I have a cat, so I have
to pay for the everything

for the cat and my apartment.

I don't want no handouts.

I want to be like anybody
else in the community.

So that's what I
can say on all that.

LEAH GREEN: I really
appreciate that.

Cindy, you had a lot
of life experiences

that a lot of people
with disabilities

have had where, you
know, from a young age,

folks were telling you what you
could do, what you could eat,

what you could wear,
where you could be,

how you could spend your money.

But you're sort of
first experience

is in Special Olympics, where
maybe the first glimmer of--

CINDY BENTLEY: Oh, Mrs.
Shriver was the best.

Mrs. Shriver always
believed that people

like me need not only
be on the playing field,

but also in the workforce.

She wanted us to have a job.

She wanted us to
have our own place.

And she wanted us to be happy,
and have good health care.

Yeah.

I guess a healthcare story too.

Mrs. Shriver's sister, they were
going to pull out her teeth,

and she said absolutely
no, not going to happen.

She got half an athlete
thing for the dentist.

Then she got the opening
eyes, so people could actually

athletes could see
the track in that.

We get free glasses,
we get free dental care

from Special Olympics.

They check everything.

I just had a thing
or up at our state

game for basketball where they
checked my balance in that,

need to go to physical
therapy to get my balance.

It's all because I was born
with fetal alcohol syndrome,

and that's where my balance
ever all the effects

of the stuff that my mom put
in me when I was in her womb,

I was a baby.

And they didn't have a
lot of education then.

So Mrs. Shriver fighting
for athletes to be healthy.

And bless her heart.

I know she's always
watching over us.

She went over the rainbow--

I don't like the other word--
but going over the rainbow,

she still watching
us and making sure

that Tim Shriver is
doing what he has to do

and he's a great guy too.

Don't worry, Special
Olympics is--

we're going to be fine.

And I'm still playing sports.

And because it's healthy
for me, it keeps me going.

My goal is-- oh, sorry.

LEAH GREEN: That's OK.

CINDY BENTLEY: Well, I'm sorry.

SANDRA HARRELL: Let's pause
for an interpreter switch.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah.

I guess I'm just passionate.

Sorry.

LEAH GREEN: No.

You said your voice is
your gift, and it's true.

I just wanted to clarify
for the audience.

Miss Shriver was the
person who started--

CINDY BENTLEY: She [INAUDIBLE]
Special Olympics in 1968.

And Tim Shriver-- it was
her son which helped.

He's a president and CEO of
Special Olympics International.

It was started in Mrs.
Shriver's backyard, which

I've been in her backyard.

It's not a small
backyard, trust me.

But she started a swim program
and it grew from there.

And now we have
unified sports, which

we are playing on the same
playing field with people

with and without disabilities.

LEAH GREEN: So you went
into Special Olympics,

you learned a lot of
skills and you've made it.

CINDY BENTLEY: It made
my life, let me tell you,

because I was so
angry at the center.

I was young, teenager.

My mother just had died while
I was there of all her stuff.

And this coach there
said, you know, we're

going to start
running every day.

You're going to start running.

And I started running.

I hated it at first
and complained so much.

But then I began to like it.

And then I got other
people involved.

And then I was starting
to feel better.

So sports saved me.

I think I might have landed
up with like my mother,

maybe in prison.

My mom was in
prison for a while,

and I didn't want to
go there, and I didn't

want to be like my mother.

But I still love my mother, but
I didn't want to be like her.

So thank heaven, Special
Olympics came along.

And thank God the coach
I had also came along.

It was not always pleasant
when I was running,

but it got better as I did it.

LEAH GREEN: I would say so.

You earned a couple gold medals.

So I think it got used--

CINDY BENTLEY:
More than a couple.

[LAUGHS]

LEAH GREEN: Cindy, in
one of our conversations,

you said to me once, people try
to use people with disabilities

without really--

CINDY BENTLEY: Oh, yes they do.

They try to use people like--

you know, making them do
things that they shouldn't do,

or taking their money, taking
things out of their apartment,

taking things out of whatever.

And then the group home
and they just try to-- oh,

we're your friends, and
then they either hurt you.

I was abused too.

Yeah.

I know what a real friend is.

I used to trust a
whole bunch of people,

but they were the mean ones.

And so I have my
guards up sometime,

but I'm still have
all the trauma of it.

Yeah.

They took the checkbook
and wrote out checks.

My own family did that, almost
put me in the poor house.

I had to start from
scratch a few times.

Starting stole all my
money out of my purse one.

And other people did that to
other people with disabilities.

We don't know-- I didn't know a
lot about money because I wasn't

giving money at the center.

I had to learn.

Now I keep my money
safe and don't put it--

I'm always looking to make
sure everything's in my wallet

just because I'm afraid
something's been taken out

of it or something.

I don't know.

It's a fear I guess I have.

LEAH GREEN: Yeah.

When we were talking
about that before,

you talked a lot about
organizations that used--

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah,
organizations too.

Yeah, because don't use us as--

that you need to feel something.

You need to make
sure we're going

to work in your organization.

Treat us like an employee.

I don't want your charity.

If I'm going to be
working with you,

I want to be treated
just like an employee.

Doing something wrong?

Call me on the carpet.

Or help me, help me, help me.

I don't just give me a desk
and say, OK, here you are.

No, to make yourself look good.

And that's the truth.

You know, back in the day,
they would hire people

with disabilities and
it was just not good.

We want to be employed.

We don't want the charity.

I never want somebody charity.

If that's the way it has to be.

You hired me, I went
through the application,

then I'm an employee,
not charity.

Yeah.

What do they call that?

And when you're in a an
employee, I guess so whatever--

forgot the name you use.

Oh, well, but we are to be
treated just like you treat

somebody without a disability.

And as far as I'm
concerned, we all got it.

Everybody probably on here has
got some kind of disability.

You know, you may not
be good on the computer,

you may not-- you
know, whatever.

So a lot of things I can't do,
but don't use my disability.

If you're going to take a job,
then be serious about your job.

I think that's why I've
been in it as long as I have

because I work hard every
single day in my life.

My first thing I do, I say this
too, I get up in the morning,

I go to the mirror,
thank God I'm awake.

What's my thing for the day?

My thing was to talk to you
all you night people on here

and tell you how we
want to be treated.

Don't just say, oh, poor, Cindy.

No, I don't want to sit at
a desk and be poor Cindy.

I want to be included
in whatever I'm supposed

to be doing for that day.

So that's what I
think in a nice way.

LEAH GREEN: Is a very nice way.

Could you share a little bit
about what inclusion then looks

like or feels like for you?

How do you feel
included when you work--

think about maybe
when you work on one

of those boards, the governor's
board, with other organizations.

What does inclusion
feel like to you?

CINDY BENTLEY: I'm pretty much
included on the boards now.

I think they get
it now that we're

very important to those board.

We teach them.

We live this every
day our disability.

We live it every single day.

We live it.

I live the diversity part of it.

But that don't make no--
you know, and I'm accepted.

I just say what's on
my mind in a nice way.

It's always, I do.

But I'm not going
to cover coded.

If I'm going to say something,
it's got to make sense.

And they said, oh,
thank you, Cindy.

I'll say thank you,
and I like that.

A lot of times I know more
than what people think.

I know.

I read the paper and I look
up every things about people

with disabilities.

We know we have a
disability, but just treat us

like I'm treating you.

So Leah, I'm treating you
like you're treating me

and you treated me with respect.

And that's what it's about.

It's not about, oh, Cindy.

Just treat me like a person.

I'm on your board,
then just treat me.

And I'm on a lot of boards
and they treat me so nicely.

It's a true.

And sometimes I have a lot
to say and sometimes I don't.

But I listen to and then I react
to what I think that change.

And then, yeah, so I do both.

But you got to teach people,
people that don't know us.

We got a brain.

We read, maybe we don't read
like they want us to read,

but we read.

We're sensitive to
other people's needs.

Just ask us, you might
learned something.

Some people told me all the time
they learn something from me

all the time.

That open your mouth
up as a advocate

and say what's on your mind.

You want to be mean about it.

Thank you.

LEAH GREEN: Thanks, Cindy.

CINDY BENTLEY: I don't
try to be cruel to nobody,

but we have to be truthful,
now meaning with our selves

but with the people that we're
on these boards with too.

LEAH GREEN: Yeah.

When we've spoken
about this in the past,

you've also said that
you feel included

when you can see that they're
listening to what you're saying.

They're not just
sitting there waiting

for you to finish talking.

You can tell they're
really listening to you.

And then they take
what you've said

and they apply it to their work.

They do something
with the information.

They don't just say
thanks and walk away.

Something happens
with that work.

Yeah.

CINDY BENTLEY:
Every time I'm doing

this or whatever, I'm
teaching somebody something

and I like that.

I like teaching people.

I don't say I told you so
whatever, that's inappropriate.

But I do say I'm happy.

I know when somebody
is not listening to me,

I said, OK, not for me.

Bye.

I just say goodbye.

I don't have time for it.

I know when somebody
is listening.

You don't have to look
me in the eye, I know.

If you're for real, then
I know you're for real.

If you're not, I'm not
going to waste my time.

Nope, not at all.

I'm get along with
mostly all people.

And I don't make fun nobody.

I don't.

None of that.

And I teach young people too.

If you want to be respected,
you better just be yourself.

I have my down
days where, things

don't go the way I
wanted, or I'm just

like struggling with
this, but then I

pick myself right back up too.

One thing I am going
to say, we have

to learn to fall, make
mistakes and get back up.

Don't just, OK, I made it
this mistake, and oh, poor.

No.

If I made a mistake, then
I just have to fix it.

I have to fix it in some way.

We need to be able to
fall, make mistakes.

I remember my first
time I was at People

First and our old
computers where

you had to put these
disks in or whatever,

I pushed the wrong button
and lost all the data.

I thought I was in
serious trouble,

but I wasn't because
they had these things

where they can save all
this stuff, I said, oh, yes.

Thank you.

But I was so scared because I
didn't know that much about.

The computer I got now it's
fancier but it's kind of better.

You don't lose anything.

It's so that's pretty good.

But you know what
I mean, those--

whatever you can put
in, it's all saved so.

Glad we don't have those
computers anymore because they

were like, oh, boy.

[LAUGHTER]

LEAH GREEN: OK, so
Cindy, we've also

spent a lot of time
talking about what

it feels like to be the only
person with a disability

in the room, or the only
Black person in a room.

CINDY BENTLEY: No,
I don't like it.

LEAH GREEN: Yeah,
what's that feel like?

CINDY BENTLEY: We need all kinds
of people around the table.

You need African-American, you
need Latinos, you need Spanish.

All people that talk different
languages because they

all got something to say.

African-American world is a lot
different than the Latino world,

and you know, Spanish.

But I like it when
they talk Spanish

because they'll be they're
able to talk in their language.

And they go through
different things than we do.

I found this out for myself.

Latinos are different
than African-American,

African-Americans are different
than Latinos, Spanish, too.

But one thing I know we
got a good common in,

we all love food
and our culture.

Lots of good food,
different food.

But we're different.

They come from
different countries.

And my church is very diverse.

I go to Eastbrook
Church and we got people

from South Africa,
Latinos, all kinds of--

and it's really
good, the Congo too.

But when we get
together, every month we

have a dinner or
luncheon, and we

get to taste other
people's foods and yummy.

Food brings people together.

And I just think
we need to do that.

I like to see more
African-Americans, and Latinos,

and Spanish people
around the table,

along with American people they
call themselves or whatever.

I don't know.

I have no idea.

And I like to see
people with disability.

We can run those meetings.

Maybe we need just two
people and we run the meeting

because we can run it.

We just need somebody to
help us with the writing.

Most people I know with
intellectual disability

can't write that
well, some can't.

Some can't do the number
thing, I don't care about that.

I care about this communicating.

I got somebody that takes care
of the budget and all that.

But we can run, we
need more people.

My goal is before I
go over to rainbow

is to have all kinds of people
around the table running

the meeting, not just the people
that run the organization.

I think it's a good thing.

I think that's a
good dream to have.

LEAH GREEN: I think
that's a very good dream.

CINDY BENTLEY: You know.

SANDRA HARRELL: Let's pause
for an interpreter switch.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yep.

LEAH GREEN: So Cindy,
you were sharing

about what it feels
like to not be included,

but we sort of smoothly
transitioned into, what help you

or other self-advocates
need to have

this authentic collaboration?

How can organizations
create a space for you

that you feel supported in
being an expert on their team?

CINDY BENTLEY: Let us try.

We need help.

Yes.

We need somebody to
probably do the writing.

We'll need somebody like
an interpreter in case

we do have somebody
that's deaf in there.

And I know I'm not good
at organizing papers.

I always lose papers.

I'm not good with paper.

I don't like paper,
which I'm always.

You can ask my office.

But I do this fine without it.

I just talk from the heart
and forget about the paper.

I know I have the notes
which you gave me,

but I just practice
that yet last night.

I know what you were
going to-- so I just made

sure I had everything together.

But we just need to
support and love.

We need love.

We don't want to charity.

We want your love and your
support more than anything.

Let us fail.

So why I do can't write?

I'll try to write it.

And if it don't come out right,
but what I found out for myself,

I use the Google.

I need a spell of
word, I'm independent.

Like this Google the word
and I'm able to do it.

And so on my second
book, I'm writing

what Jenny, is that
I've been texting her,

she'll text me something and
I'll text her what I want.

So I do it that way because
I'm not a good writer.

So there is so much
advocates can learn.

And I'm teaching myself.

I want to be independent,
but I also know I need help.

And I always need
help on this job.

You know, I will.

And that's OK.

But let me try.

LEAH GREEN: As we've
talked about before,

every executive director
of any organization

has helped, someone
doing the accounting.

Helping them keep track
of their schedule.

Someone that's doing
computer stuff.

Every executive need help.

CINDY BENTLEY: Someone
doing them grant writing.

I got two people to do that.

See, I didn't know that a
couple of years ago until we

hired Nancy.

And we needed a grant-- we
needed two grant writers,

then I needed a staff.

I always thought I
had to do everything.

I'm the only one, and the
office manager at first,

and then I hired--

I got five staff.

That's hard in itself.

But I had six.

One decided to walk,
so that's fine.

But I just try to do what I can.

You know, what I mean?

I just try.

And I'm fair with my staff.

My members and my
staff come first.

Me, I put me on the back burner.

If my staff not
happy, my members

are not happy, that's
how you should do it.

You don't put yourself first.

You put your staff.

And I give them certain kind
of awards during the year.

And we had our first
retreat last year.

This year it's kind of hard
because we've been so busy.

But we gave them some ascend.

I gave them some stuff,
thanking them for what they do.

And I feel--

I just do that.

Make sure that
they got everything

they need to be successful.

And all my staff are people
with intellectual disabilities.

The self, the grant,
the one grant writer

does not have a disability.

So you just have to make sure
that they're taking care,

and we're doing
everything to help them.

And they're shining.

This year, we have four
self-advocates that are women,

and then we have one
self-advocate is a guy.

We always tease him
and said he's got

a lot of women, a lot of women.

We only have one guy.

We always tease him and
he kind of likes it.

And I work with him too
on the Thursday nights,

and it's just been beautiful.

We had to get rid of--

what would you call it?

There was a lot of friction
with this one person.

I can't go into details.

But as soon as we
got rid of that,

everybody started
working together

and this particular person
now gets on the camera.

So we were kind of blindsided.

I didn't know what was
really always going on.

But as soon as we got rid
of, I guess, the problem,

everything settled down.

And so I was happy I did that.

There's another word, I
can't think of it right now.

But it doesn't matter
about the word right now.

LEAH GREEN: That's OK.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah, but
you know, that's what you--

I just told you
that so you know.

Yeah.

LEAH GREEN: Cindy, would you be
OK if I share some of the things

that we've talked about
have been helpful for you

when we work together?

CINDY BENTLEY: Yes, please.

And I guess I didn't say I have
autism until I was diagnosed

with that at the doubts.

So there are certain
things with my autism.

Organization and all
that little bit of--

but I'll just say that,
you can say the rest.

Thank you.

LEAH GREEN: Sure.

Well, I know you're going
to love to hear these.

So the first one we
wrote down together

is materials written
in plain language.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yes.

Oh, yeah.

[LAUGHTER]

LEAH GREEN: You want
to say more about that?

I just know you love talking.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah,
so the plain language--

if I don't understand how you
think about the other advocates.

So we've been working--
we have a grant that we've

been working on plain
language, where we

are working on the kindest guy.

And one more, they're on
there right now with you guys,

but I feel comfortable
they'll get it together.

So we want people--

we want it in plain language.

So if you send me something--
and yours was actually

in pretty good language,
I could understand it.

So you get an A. So yeah, it's
going to be in plain language.

You can't just write something--
oh, what's this word?

I read.

But I'm sure you guys
have the same thing.

If somebody is writing you
something, oh, what is this?

So, yes, plain language
is very important to me.

LEAH GREEN: And actually,
our June DDRC webinar

is going to be all
about plain language.

So folks--

CINDY BENTLEY: Love it.

LEAH GREEN: [INAUDIBLE]
are excited.

You get to know more.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yep.

LEAH GREEN: Some of the
other things you've mentioned

is just sort of keeping things
simple and taking our time.

CINDY BENTLEY: You think simple.

LEAH GREEN: Going a little
slower than maybe we

normally do, which
honestly feels

lovely for everyone for a
number of reasons, I think.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah.

If you go too fast,
you're going to lose me.

And I sit on this
long term care.

I mean, there are meeting starts
at 9:30 and it gets over about

3:30 most times.

They talking in so much language
that I can't understand.

It's so boring.

But you know, you do
it from your house

so you can walk around
in your living room

and that thank heavens for that.

But it is over my head,
some of it, not all of it.

And I do speak up.

I think what we have
to do with departments

like the DHS,
departments in that,

yeah, they got to put it
in less words, less paper.

I mean, I think
Nancy can tell you,

she'll make copies at her house.

We might give one subject,
we probably get about oh,

dirty pieces of
paper at one time.

And I am not a person who's
going to look at dirty pages,

I'm just get bored.

Now, if you give me
a good reading book,

now that's what I
call good reading.

[LAUGHS] I'm laughing.

I told you I like to read books.

LEAH GREEN: You
read a lot of books?

But I get, work
reading for work.

CINDY BENTLEY: You get
what I'm talking about.

LEAH GREEN: I get you.

Yeah.

CINDY BENTLEY: But
you're good to work book

because you're doing it.

And you only gave me--

I think you didn't give me
that much so we put it out.

So that was one--

four pages.

This is my kind of stuff.

Four pages versus
20 pages, which

I'm not going to read
all, I just scan through.

It's OK.

I read this whole thing.

Don't worry.

Four pages is easier.

LEAH GREEN: Yeah so the
outline for this webinar

was four pages so that it
wasn't too pretty much.

CINDY BENTLEY: I like that.

LEAH GREEN: The
last thing I wanted

to prompt you to say more
about, because I love it,

you've said this a lot.

Don't talk for me, ask
me and I'll decide.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yes.

I said.

Yeah.

If you want to know
something, you ask me.

If it's about me, you'll ask me.

If it's not about me,
you can still ask me.

I don't want nobody
talking for me

or getting on the
phone talking for me.

Let me do my own talking.

And if I can't do the
talking, then ask me,

and I'll say yes,
you can talk for me.

But that's don't get on, there
and start talking for me.

And don't say yes to
something that I may--

or say no to something
I may want to do.

I make the decision or
we will make it together.

Me and my operation
manager always does that.

She'll ask me.

If I say no, it's no.

If I say yes, it's yes so.

[LAUGHS]

LEAH GREEN: Yes.

CINDY BENTLEY:
Sorry, I laugh a lot

when I'm a little
on the nervous side,

I know I'm doing a good job.

I have a tendency to
giggle when I'm nervous.

So that's all.

I'm almost like, you want to
be perfect with this, so sorry.

LEAH GREEN: That's OK, Cindy.

I guess one of the last things
I wanted to say before we maybe

can move to the next
question actually

is, you told me
about this experience

you had recently about
people that were--

I think they were maybe
doing like a profile on you

or something.

They're writing
about you, and they

wanted to take pictures
of you in front of a lake.

Do you remember this?

CINDY BENTLEY: Oh, yeah.

There's no way
that was happening.

Now, this is correctly.

This is for my 40th anniversary
being on-- having a big party.

But my office manager, well,
she knew I was not for that.

I spoke up.

Now, you told me, we
going down to downer

was better because I was
supporting a small business.

I bought books out of
one place and something.

Now, that's my kind of thing.

I mean, I do like the lake.

I hardly go down to the lake
because it's just not my thing

to do.

Now, you tell me, you say
a bookstore or something?

Yeah, fine.

I like going to the
hardware store if I need,

but I'm a bookaholic.

That's all you have to
do is say shopping books.

I'm like good food and I
have meatloaf that day,

and it worked out good.

Don't tell me that I have to go
down to a lake to take some--

if you're taking pictures
of me, going to be

where I would like to have it.

What is good for you.

LEAH GREEN: Yes.

It was all about you.

CINDY BENTLEY: In any day
of that day turned out good,

that's because I
spoke up for myself.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have
been down at the lake with--

[LAUGHS]

LEAH GREEN: As you said,
smelly fish, I believe.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah, tell me.

And sometime that lake
does smell like fish.

No, thank you.

I like to eat fish, I just
don't like to smell it.

So, yeah.

LEAH GREEN: Yeah,
I love that story

because it really
highlights your ability

to speak up for yourself.

But also, I think it's a really
good example of the ways that--

some of us that work
at organizations,

we have a vision for
what we want to do,

and we don't spend enough time
learning about you or your story

or what you want to do.

And that is such a
good example of like,

that's not the place where
you're going to shine.

That place doesn't
mean anything to you.

But take you to a
bookstore, we're

going to see so much
more about Cindy.

We're going to see
so much about you.

CINDY BENTLEY: [INAUDIBLE].

Oh, oh, another-- oh, oh.

OK.

Well, wait a minute.

No problem.

[LAUGHTER]

I'm just being goofy.

And I think we could add
something to this too.

Now, I do have the choice.

But sometimes when it
comes-- we need to have

and I just thought of this.

Sometimes if we do have
choices what we want.

But if it's something
dangerous, you know,

somebody's got to tell
you, no, you can't do this.

And I agree with it.

Or you're sick and you
need to go to the doctor.

There's two ways.

And then there's one
for safety and health.

Two, now, I always wait
till I'm almost real sick.

I always used to, they
want to bother nobody.

But when you're sick, there's
something you just have to do.

And you got to tell somebody
you're not feeling good

and they'll help you out.

So yeah.

LEAH GREEN: Yeah.

We just have a
couple more questions

and then we'll turn
it over to Q&A.

So I'm just letting folks
know, if you have questions

for Cindy about her expertise
as an executive director,

as a self-advocate,
if you have questions

about authentic collaboration
with self-advocates,

put them in the
Q&A, we are going

to be ready to talk
about them soon.

Y

So you know, from this poll,
from the webinar today,

we know that most of the
people on this webinar

are from domestic violence and
sexual assault advocacy programs

and from disability programs.

So I'm just
wondering, what do you

want these service providers
to know about including

self-advocates in their work?

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah, you need
to include the advocates.

When an average kid, we know
when somebody is suffering.

When the advocate says,
they've been sexually assaulted

or whatever, you can't just
say to them, get over it.

You got to make sure
that you listen to them.

Or they can help you
to figure out what's

wrong, what's the advocate too.

These are my peers.

I call them my peers.

A lot of my peers call me about
things and I try to help them.

If I can't help them, I
will call somebody that will

or get them in touch with
somebody that can help them.

I've learned myself that.

And we're peers-- we're very
sensitive kind of people--

people with disabilities.

And that's don't
say get over it.

That is a word that you
should not use-- get over it.

Because if somebody says that
something happened to them

and they could not--

maybe it's not sex assault, but
they stole money or whatever,

you need to take it seriously.

I don't think people
make up things.

And if they do, they're just
trying to get attention.

But most of the time, the
things that happen to people

with disabilities are real.

And that's what I
can say to them.

Yeah.

Listen, open your ears
and listen to the person.

LEAH GREEN: Yes.

You also told me
that it's really

exhausting to share your story.

CINDY BENTLEY: It's
very exhausting to what

happened to me.

It is.

Yes, it is.

Brings up trauma every
time I have to tell it.

But why I tell my
story, is because I

want to teach people that, OK,
I went through a rough life

as a child and
everything possibly

happened to me as a child.

How I used to say this--

I went to hell and
came back from hell,

but I came back a better person.

And you know, I still
have my guards up.

I still get scared every day.

Something might trigger
me off about whatever.

I'm always having to ask,
did I do this OK or whatever?

Because at the end, [INAUDIBLE],,
they yelled at me a lot.

And so I'm still getting
over this kind of trauma.

I don't think I
ever get over it,

but it gets better every
time I teach people things.

Trauma is not a thing
that you get over.

LEAH GREEN: Yeah.

I think that's--

CINDY BENTLEY: First of all, I
was involved to live 24 hours

and I left.

I saved me for something,
and that's what I always say.

God saved me for something
to do better with my life,

to help other people,
and help organizations.

Psychologists, social
workers to learn

about people with disabilities.

That's all I can say on that.

LEAH GREEN: Absolutely.

I think that's such a good
point because I think that a lot

of people with disabilities,
a lot of self-advocates have

a history of trauma,
whether it's-- as you said,

sexual assault, or violence,
or just harm that's happened

to them over time.

CINDY BENTLEY: And every day
something's happening-- yeah.

And every day something's
happening and that's around.

I'm at Nancy's house.

Right now, who knows what's
happening in our neighborhood?

We don't know who we're living
next door to or whatever.

You know, we don't know.

But if anything happened, I'm
calling the police or whatever I

need to do to help this person.

And trauma is all over.

And no, you don't get over what
I got over, but you have to.

The more I talk about
it, I feel better.

I think what I learned as
a young child or mostly

teenage, my faith.

Because I know God wanted
to save me to do something.

And so he did.

Made me the executive director.

He made me a voice for people
that can't talk for their self.

So I'm thankful
that I can do that.

And that's my gift.

So that's what I think.

Sorry.

LEAH GREEN: Thank you, Cindy.

CINDY BENTLEY: I know
I didn't say I'm sorry.

I always say that,
too, because--

I'm not sorry for
trying to help somebody.

LEAH GREEN: I know you're not.

We have one last question
that we worked on together

before we're going to check
out what's going on in the Q&A.

We talked about the
role of an ally,

and what makes a good ally.

You told me that you feel like
Nancy, your office manager,

is a really good ally.

Could you share more
about what makes

Nancy a good ally or what--

CINDY BENTLEY: But she's not
only my operation manager,

she's a friend.

And she will help
me with whatever

I need help on in my house,
drive me to wherever I need.

If I need to go to grocery
store, she's there.

I mean, sometimes I just
need to stay at her house

longer and watch Disney
Channel or something,

if I've had a really rough day.

Or I just need some
time at her house.

She's opened her house,
her family, her dogs.

And I just feel so loved.

So ally does more than
just work with you.

She's great.

And she always reassures me
everything's going to be OK.

I have a hard time trusting
people, but I do trust her.

I really do.

And I think the more
I work with her,

the more we get
closer and closer too.

Closer.

And it's nice to be
part of a family.

I do have a family,
but they're nothing.

My family sometimes
is very interesting.

So sometimes you just have
to have a family that's

not your family.

You know what I mean?

So that's what an ally to me is
that she's just wonderful as I

was telling you.

LEAH GREEN: Yeah.

You said you've built a lot of
trust between you and Nancy.

Do you know how you
built that trust?

How you built--

CINDY BENTLEY: No,
but I just trust her.

I just trust her.

It's hard.

I got a couple more
people I trust.

Three good people.

And the rest of them
are still like--

what do you call it.

My guards are still off.

Yeah.

And I have to say, I trust you
because from this meeting you

for the last month, I know I can
trust you because you understand

about me and about
self-advocate,

and you broke things down so
well, and doing an excellent job

with me.

A lot of people don't do that.

And you just take your
time and very patient.

And I just want
you to know that.

LEAH GREEN: Thank you, Cindy.

CINDY BENTLEY: You're welcome.

LEAH GREEN: I think it worked
because we work similarly.

And so how you
work is how I work.

So I think it seemed very easy.

We like to go slow,
we like to take notes.

And I think one of the--

CINDY BENTLEY: And you a cat
like I have, so I love that too.

You're a cat lady.

I'm a cat lady.

[LAUGHTER]

And I love seeing the cat
go past here and there.

LEAH GREEN: Thank
you for that, Cindy.

CINDY BENTLEY: And that's true.

That's my honest feelings about
my guards are down with you.

You just so good.

And it makes me feel good
when I know somebody.

Now I have four people I trust
in my life, which is good.

And I want to do these
projects the best I can.

So thank you.

LEAH GREEN: Thank you, Cindy.

One theory about how you
were able to get build

such good trust with
Nancy is you told me

you really don't like when
people just sort of up

and disappear or
walk out of your life

and not see them again.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah, a lot
of people walk in my life.

And all the office manager
I had, they all left.

They all left, and
I don't know why.

And other people
left my life too.

But the ones that stayed
are the ones that I love.

I don't know why.

I mean, this is not a hard job.

It is a lot of work,
but it's not a hard job.

And they didn't want to work
with somebody with a disability.

I know they didn't.

Now two people--

Nancy, and the one before
her, they were great.

It's the ones before them.

LEAH GREEN: Yeah, it sounds--

CINDY BENTLEY: And they
were in for the money.

I know when somebody
is in for the money.

No, you got to do it to work.

The money, it's
why you're working.

We know you need money
to pay for things.

But you see, this is a easy job.

It's working with advocates.

I say it's easy and it's not.

But all we want is
respect and the love.

That's all we want.

And that's all I want
is to respect and love.

I didn't get a lot of
love when I was younger.

Now I'm getting love.

And it's hard for me
sometimes to get the love

because I haven't
gotten a lot of love

when I was-- so it's
nice to be loved.

Really is.

I mean, really love, and
really love, not just

for a couple of days.

So sorry.

OK, Cindy.

LEAH GREEN: No, no, no.

This is all about you.

I'm just going to
say that I think

that it sounds like authentic
involvement for you,

looks like respect and love,
genuine caring about each other,

and--

CINDY BENTLEY: I
give her the respect

and she gives me
respect, and she's OK.

LEAH GREEN: --That authentic
involvement isn't just

a one off conversation.

It's continued
presence in your life.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah,
absolutely right.

You got that right.

LEAH GREEN: Well, we've come
to the end of our questions.

CINDY BENTLEY: Good.

I hope I did a good job.

LEAH GREEN: You did great.

We do have a question
from the audience.

CINDY BENTLEY: Yes, ma'am.

LEAH GREEN: Susan asked, "what
is the name of your book?"

And I was just about to look at.

CINDY BENTLEY: It's
Spirit of a Champion.

I was running back
in, I think, 2000.

You can get it on Amazon,
or I might have Nancy just

come over here a minute because
she knows where you can get it.

Amazon had about five a
week-- we just ordered.

We ordered another company.

SPEAKER 1: You can get
it through the Wisconsin.

CINDY BENTLEY: You can get it
from the Wisconsin Historical

Society, and that's
where it was rotting--

and I tell you a little
story about Wisconsin.

The story, though, is usually
the people were deceased,

like Curly Lambeau and that.

But I was the first
one they wrote,

one on me as a live person.

And then if you ever a league of
our own, they're all live too.

And there's some more.

So yeah, it's a good thing
and they still support me.

All I have to do is
when I need the book,

they will rewrite them for me.

So that's good.

Yeah.

LEAH GREEN: Thanks, Cindy.

I put a link in
the chat to how you

can purchase them from the
Wisconsin Historical Society.

You can also purchase
them from Amazon.

Just open call for--
oh, we'll pause here.

[LAUGHTER]

Open call for any other
questions for Cindy.

And I just thought
maybe while we're

waiting to see if there's
any other questions coming in

for you, you want to
maybe tell us a little bit

about Dory, your cat?

CINDY BENTLEY: Oh, Dory, is a
sweet darling little baby kitty.

She has her moments.

Trust me, like today.

She was being a little naughty.

She has her moments, where
she likes to play with,

and then she'll like to--

it doesn't hurt, but she likes
to bite once in a great while.

But she's a good kid.

She's the spoiledest
probably a cat in Milwaukee.

She had plenty of food, plenty
of treats, and she's the love,

she is definitely caring when
she knows if I'm tired or sad,

she comes right up.

So my cat's been a
very, very got somebody

to take care of besides myself.

And she's a great kitty.

And she's going
to be in the vet.

We put Dory in the video
of my 40th anniversary.

Wasn't that easy,
but we got it done.

She was over in Nancy's house,
and of course, two dogs and she

just did this little tiny hiss.

But otherwise, she was
calm the rest of the time.

She wanted to
probably tell the dog

that she did not want to
be bothered with the dog.

So there you go.

Yeah.

LEAH GREEN: I do believe
she even received an Easter

basket this year?

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah.

She got an Easter basket.

Every year she gets
Christmas presents.

She had a lot of
Easter eggs with treats

in it and Easter toys.

Now I have to go sort
out some of them,

they're going to the no kill
because she's got too many.

We have to share.

LEAH GREEN: Good call.

Checking in with
Activating Change staff,

is there any other
questions I missed

that came in that I didn't see?

SANDRA HARRELL: This is Sandra.

I don't see any other questions
in either the chat or the Q&A.

We are seeing in the
chat a lot of accolades,

Cindy saying great job, this
was a great conversation,

and thanking you for sharing
your diverse experiences.

The participant is saying
it matters, it's important,

and I wish so many
could hear about this.

You did a wonderful job, and
we all appreciate your efforts

to advocate for so many.

And another person is
saying this was wonderful.

Thank you so much, Cindy.

And this person is saying
that they learned so much.

LEAH GREEN: Thank you, Sandra.

CINDY BENTLEY: They're so nice.

That is so great.

I'm not good at
compliments, but thank you.

I'm getting better with that.

LEAH GREEN: You're doing great.

CINDY BENTLEY: Thank you.

Let's do my best every day.

LEAH GREEN: Well, we've
reached the end of our webinar.

CINDY BENTLEY: You were going
to stay on for a second.

LEAH GREEN: I'm
going to stay on.

No worries.

Sandra, is there any wrap up
we need to do for this webinar?

Because my mind is blanking on
if I was supposed to do that.

SANDRA HARRELL: This is Sandra.

I just want to say, Cindy,
thank you so, so much.

CINDY BENTLEY: You're welcome.

SANDRA HARRELL: Every time
I get to hear from you, I

learn a little bit more and find
myself a little bit more in awe.

So thank you for doing
this with us today.

CINDY BENTLEY: You're welcome.

My pleasure.

SANDRA HARRELL:
Our next webinar,

which is scheduled for May 28.

May 28, remind me
of the topic, Leah?

LEAH GREEN: Frederika Theus--

Dr. Frederika Theus
is coming to present

on the neurobiology
of trauma for folks

with intellectual disabilities.

SANDRA HARRELL: So
please, join us.

We'll be getting advertisements
about that out shortly

at the beginning of May.

So thank you so much, everyone.

Have a great rest of your
Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

And because Cindy and Leah want
to stay in this room and chat,

we would--

CINDY BENTLEY: Yeah, I just have
to chat with her for a second.

SANDRA HARRELL: We just
ask that people go ahead

and if you don't mind.

Not you, Cindy and Leah, but
just the people in the session.

CINDY BENTLEY: OK.

And thank you to the people
that do the sign language.

Thank you so much too.

SANDRA HARRELL: This is Sandra.

I don't know if I'm
able to make you--

Tere, can you please
make Leah the host so

that everyone can leave and
her and Cindy can do their--

CINDY BENTLEY:
Yeah, it's nothing--