LPA: What Is It? — Jillian Ilana

Three letters I often write in my blog posts are LPA. LPA stands for Little People of America- a non-profit organization which provides support, resources, and information to individuals with dwarfism and their families. In Part II, Danielle and I discuss how we each got involved in LPA, what it means to us, and our hopes for the future of the organization. Before I post the second half of my conversation with Danielle, I need to explain what LPA actually is.

Little People of America was founded in 1957 when actor Billy Barty organized an informal get-together of little people in Reno, Nevada (Click HERE to read my post about Billy Barty). Until 1960 the organization was known as “Midgets of America”. It was not until the “Little People” became the accepted term for people with dwarfism that the name was changed to Little People of America. The original meeting of 21 people has grown over the past 64 years to become an international organization with over 8000 members.

To be a member of LPA one has to be a person of short stature (4’10” and under). Short stature is usually caused by a form of dwarfism. As I am writing this in January of 2021 there are approximately 400 definable forms of dwarfism with the most common being achondroplasia.

As LPA is an advocacy organization as well, I want to clarify their stance on the m-word. LPA and the little people community regard the m-word as a derogatory slur. At the 2009 national conference Brooklyn, in response to an incident that occurred on The Celebrity Apprentice, a press conference was held where a public statement was issued stating that the m-word was considered offensive by people with dwarfism. In 2015, LPA issued a second statement advocating for the abolishment of the use of the m-word, emphasizing that the little person community would prefer to be called “...dwarfs, little people, people of short stature or having dwarfism, or simply, and most preferably, by their given name.”

For more information, click HERE to read LPA’s full statement on The M-Word issued in September of 2015

LPA is a national organization that is divided into districts and chapters. There are 13 districts, made up of one to five states, and 70 chapters which comprise either a single state, counties, or county. Danielle and I are members of District 2, which covers New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and Liberty Chapter, which covers the Philadelphia area. Chapters often get together multiple times throughout the year while districts have regionals once or twice throughout the year. A regional is a weekend-long meeting where members have the chance to meet with local medical professionals, have outings in the host city, and socialize with other little people of all ages.

Once a year, the national organization comes together for the national convention. This usually takes place over July 4 week and is always in a different city. There, members have the opportunity to meet and reconnect with friends from across the country, participate in sports organized by the Dwarf Athletic Association of America (DAAA), meet with and learn from medical professionals, explore a new city, and so much more. There is a fashion show, a talent show, an expo for accessible and adaptive devices, hang out rooms for kids and teenagers, dances every night...the list goes on and on.

LPA has given me the opportunity to travel to Orlando, Detroit, Brooklyn, Nashville, Washington D.C., Boston, and San Francisco and make everlasting friendships with other little people from all corners of the country. Because of LPA I was able to go to my first Boston Red Sox game, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, play volleyball and basketball instead of sit on the sidelines. It has taught me how to be an advocate: how to erect a platform to make my voice heard.

Yet, what I love about most LPA is that, whether for a few hours, a couple of days, or an entire week, it provides me with an environment of normalcy. No one is pointing, staring, taking pictures or making fun because I’m different or because I’m different. No one looks down at me, everyone looks me in the eye, and nothing is out of reach. The feeling of normalcy that LPA gives me is indescribable and irreplaceable and I cherish every second I’m at a chapter event, district regional or national convention.