POSTPONED: Training: Introduction to Lobbying
POSTPONED (5/29): Lobbying can be a game of chance, and today it has to be played live. Therefore, we must reschedule today's Introduction to Lobbying training with Rebecca Lamorte.
Rebecca is a professional lobbyist that had a disability bill coming up for a vote today in New York, and Republicans in her state unfortunately wanted to debate it - which means she can't be with us today to teach you how to make these things happen in your home cities and states.
We will be working with Rebecca to find a new date and time to reschedule the training. Once we do, we'll share the new registration on our website, mailing list, and social media. If you can't make it, don't worry--we'll be recording our training and posting it on YouTube, just like we planned for today.
What is lobbying, who does it, and how can it make you a better advocate? Join Disability Victory board member and lobbyist Rebecca Lamorte to learn about how lobbying can influence the legislative process. You’ll learn the basics of lobbying and how different groups engage in lobbying, debunk myths about the practice, hear examples of how lobbying has been used to advance disability advocacy, and learn techniques and best practices.
This session will have CART captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. It will be recorded for playback. To request the slide deck in advance or additional accommodations, please note them when you register through Zoom or contact hello@disabilityvictory.org.
About the Trainer
Rebecca Lamorte grew up on Long Island and now calls New York City home. After a 2013 subway accident left her partially disabled, she saw an intimate portrait of how New York can work better for all communities and began her efforts to make New York City more accessible and inclusive.
Rebecca graduated from Fordham University in 2013 and built a career in the labor movement working for some of New York’s most prominent unions coordinating legislative and issue-based campaigns. On campaigns like the Fight For $15, for example, Rebecca observed how progressive policies can lead to tangible benefits for New Yorkers too often overlooked.
Drawing on her personal experiences as a disabled New Yorker and professional experience with government, Rebecca ran for New York City Council in 2021 in Manhattan’s 5th District (Midtown East, Upper East Side, Yorkville, East Harlem, Roosevelt Island). Her campaign was centered on disability rights and the needs of disabled and vulnerable New Yorkers. While not successful in winning her election, Rebecca’s campaign shifted the paradigm of political engagement in New York, moving the focus more towards accessibility and disability rights as a part of all policy decisions and public life.
Following her campaign, Rebecca has been featured in the Emmy-nominated interactive series Inaccessible Cities and on the Tamron Hall Show for her work on disability issues. Her work has also been published in the New York Daily News and Teen Vogue.