Protesters continue pushing for more protections for NC residents with disabilities

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- On Tuesday -- for the third straight day -- protesters continued to hold demonstrations in Raleigh calling for better, more accessible housing, greater access to essential care, and more state funding to support North Carolina's disabled communities. Adapt -- a national, grassroots disability rights group -- has coordinated several protests this week, including at the State Capitol, and the Department of Health and Human Services.

"I want to see more people with disabilities out in the community. Living on their own," said Chris Botello, who's used a wheelchair for the last 10 years.

Botello traveled to Raleigh from Austin, Texas, to help raise awareness for issues confronted by disabled people here -- and across the country.

"If you don't have your attendants, how are you gonna get out of bed, how are you gonna get dressed, how are you gonna get showered?" he said.

Botello is one of the countless activists in town with Adapt, calling on North Carolina to better enable its disabled residents to integrate into the communities they live in. That includes fighting for better pay for attendants -- who help people who are disabled complete essential activities throughout the day -- securing better access to essential services and accessible housing and pushing for more state funding.

"We can advocate for the needs that we have. We can advocate in the community for the things that we need," said Chris Murphy, an advocate who's been blind since birth and traveled down from Minnesota for the protests.

Chris says those daily support services serve a vital role in his day-to-day life and helped him make the trip down to North Carolina.

"Mobility training to be able to navigate my community and my world, without technology training, I would have never learned how to use a computer or anything like that or be live independent, and even without the Olmstead Decision, I probably wouldn't be standing here talking to you," he said.

The Olmstead Decision -- made by the Supreme Court 25 years ago this week -- protects the rights of those with disabilities to live in the most integrated setting possible -- effectively giving people the right to make their own choices about where they live.

People such as Nicky Boyte, who helps run Adapt's North Carolina chapter, say a major goal is changing the mindset surrounding adult day care, and people with disabilities being compelled to live in places such as nursing homes.

"Where are my people in North Carolina? If you're in the community in an adult day care, that is not being in the community," Boyte said.

More protests are planned for Wednesday.