Citizen Advocacy by John O’Brien

John O’Brien (November 15, 1946 – June 27, 2025) was a pioneering advocate and thought‐leader in the field of disability services—co‑creator of PATH and MAPS person‑centered planning tools, a lifelong advisor, educator, and writer who championed inclusion, dignity, and community for people with developmental disabilities

I first met him in 2010 at my former workplace, Job Path NYC, the same year I also met Wolf Wolfensberger.

If your life or work is dedicated to upholding the dignity of people with disabilities in any form, and you're not yet familiar with John’s work, I encourage you to choose an article or two and take the time to read it.

“Citizen Advocacy” is a short summary of the concept of Citizen Advocacy, created by Wolf Wolfensberger. John had one of the clearest and most compelling articulations of Citizen Advocacy I had ever encountered. In the early days of Do For One, I remember sharing this article with friends throughout New York City.