We're People First: Songs for Inclusive Schools and Communities

by Jeff Moyer

We're People First is a family of products which includes an activity book, CD or double cassette. We're People First activity book - a versatile collection of activities pared to original songs which promote diversity and disability awareness, positive action and self-esteem. Activity book contains twelve sections which benefits for the student, background for the teacher/leader, suggested classroom activities, creative variations, sheet music and copyable lyric sheets. The twelve activity sections are graded with six designed for use with preschool or elementary students and six for teenagers and adults. Popular with music teachers, music therapists, regular and special education teachers, parents, church and camp leaders.

Paperback

Published January 1, 1995

About the author

Jeff Moyer is an award-winning documentary producer, award-winning songwriter, author, disability right’s advocate and motivational speaker.

Jeff Moyer was born in 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio. At five, Jeff began to go blind. That same year, Jeff's brother Mark was born with a severe cognitive disability. Jeff's progressive blindness and Mark's grim circumstances helped him understand the need for the acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities.

Mark was institutionalized in 1963 at the barbaric Columbus State Institution for the Mentally Retarded, where he suffered until 1981. Jeff became a leader in the disability right’s movement after graduating with honors from The University of California at Berkeley in Social Welfare. Jeff received a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Administration from The University of San Francisco. Jeff has worked as a rehabilitation program developer, assistive technology pioneer, disability access consultant, author, songwriter, publisher and motivational speaker since 1973.

Jeff has presented to numerous national and world conferences and has spoken and sung in 47 states. He has been featured as an NPR "Morning Edition" Commentator, on The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, on 20/20, in National Geographic, and in a BBC documentary on the U.S. Disability Rights Movement.

After 20 years of advocacy, in 2002, Jeff was successful in moving Mark, back into the community with supported living services. Much of his published music and writings address the normalcy of disability, the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity, humor and the importance of social inclusion.

Following Mark’s death in 2014, Jeff and his wife Cristi moved to Chula Vista, CA.