Every advocate has a reason they advocate. When MoDE advocates walk the capitol halls advocating for better laws regarding special education, we are walking on behalf of the over 115,000 Missouri students who receive special education services. There are no large lobbies representing these students. We, the parents, teachers, and friends, are here for Missouri’s children.

This year, some of our MoDE advocates will be wearing sparkly mint green shoes in honor of our children. On our shoes will be beads which represent specific students for whom we are walking the halls. They are #MyWhy Beads–why we do what we do. It is an enormous privilege and responsibility to represent these students and we want to make sure that our focus stays on them. They are WHY our legislative advocacy matters. Parents of the children will also be wearing beads on their shoes as a reminder of why they advocate at their schools and communities.