"Powerhouse" says co-presenter about David Oaks leadership in workshop on cross-disability and mental health consumers/psychiatric survivors making change together.

by Bjo Ashwill

David Oaks, Tracey Dumas, Claire Seminara and myself co-created and co-organized a 4 hour workshop on June 11, 2009 In Eugene Oregon entitled: "AMPLIFY THE VOICE OF MENTAL HEALTH CLIENTS: How Disability and Mental Health Consumer/Psychiatric Survivor Communities Can Make Change Together!"

It was a very exciting workshop, over 60 people in attendance from key mental health organizations, Centers for Independent Living and consumers of both the CIL's and mental health services. We were given a month to pull this workshop together.

We had, thanks to David Oaks, support from the Bazalon Advocacy Center. We were told we were one of the few incidences in the United States where coalition building between Cross Disabilities groups and Mental Health consumer/survivor groups was alive and well. We wanted to spark a fire in other counties of Oregon with an eye toward taking this training to other states as well. Well, we built the workshop, they came and now we are in conversation with interested groups in other locations.

I can only sing high praises for David Oaks competent community organizing abilities. He is a man who knows many people and is constantly networking people together that have a great potential for making good things happen. He is a powerhouse of energy and with a dogged positive attitude, he creates change. He is an excellent team member. He not only has many great ideas to contribute, but he also wades into the real world of putting the details together. This workshop would never have happened with him there.