The Self-Advocacy Association of New York State, Inc. (SANYS) is a grassroots organization for people with developmental disabilities in New

The Self-Advocacy Association of New York State, Inc. (SANYS) is a not-for-profit, grassroots organization run by and for people with developmental disabilities. SANYS aims to help create a person-centered and person-directed system of supports. To further this goal, the SANYS executive board supports self-advocates and self-advocacy groups regionally and statewide, encouraging them to speak up for themselves individually and collectively. SANYS is one of several civil rights organizations in New York committed to ending discrimination against people with disabilities and eliminating barriers to full equality in American society. The organization is primarily directed by people with disabilities, adhering to the motto, 'Nothing about us without us!' While SANYS focuses on developmental disabilities, the broader New York disability community includes numerous other groups working to ensure full integration, independence, and equal opportunity for all people with disabilities. These include the Center for Independence of the Disabled (CIDNY), the Harlem Independent Living Center, the Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID), Bronx Independent Living Services (BILS), the Staten Island Center for Independent Living, Sinergia, The National Federation of the Blind of New York, ACBNY, New York City Black Deaf Advocates (NYCBDA), and The National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC Metro). Together, these organizations advocate for the removal of architectural, communication, and attitudinal barriers, provide education and skills development, and empower individuals to exercise their civil and human rights to live fully integrated lives in mainstream society.