The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) announced that Angela Martin of Wayne State University’s Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI) has won the 2012 Leadership in Advocacy Award for her work on behalf of families and individuals with disabilities. Martin earned her master of social work degree from Wayne State and has been involved with the DDI since 2000. Her work with Michigan Partners for Freedom, the Sibling Leadership Network and the Mount Pleasant Monitoring Project exemplifies the dedication, passion and knowledge that Martin brings to the field.  

According to her nomination letter, "Angela has brought the perspective of siblings into the Family Support movement through her commitment, first, to her younger sister, Elizabeth, who is an artist and a self-advocate, and her commitment to the self-determination of all people through her project Michigan Partners for Freedom. Her energy has helped to grow [the sibling advocacy] movement into a recognized voice in advocacy in support of the self-determination of people with disabilities. She has modeled both dedication and respect both in her life as a sibling and in her ongoing work bridging family support and self-advocacy."
 
Martin will receive the award during AUCD’s annual conference. The awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit ddi.wayne.edu.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students.