With Michael Calvo

Digital Inclusion efforts seek to ensure equitable access to/use of information and communication technologies, enabling full participation in education, social services, health, community, and more. Join us for a one-hour open conversation / brainstorming session on what we can do to make digital inclusion a reality. Innovator, author and accessibility advocate Mike Calvo will facilitate this session.

with Michael O’Bryan

COVID19, civic unrest, and issues of equity and justice have taken center stage over the last year. These forces will be shaping our world and economy for years to come. In this Keynote, Michael will explore frameworks and concepts that support the incorporation of human development, the science of resilience, trauma theory, and organizational dynamics into the internal and external work of organizations serving youth and adults from historically excluded populations. Companies who can learn to organize, strategize, and build with content and knowledge centered on human wellbeing and development will be the ones who can weather the change at hand. Join us for an introductory session on framing and centering shared humanity.

with Brandi Monts, Ashlea Lantz, Susan Schonfeld, Dr. Steven Hunt, Jill Eastman

It goes without mention how difficult the last couple of years have been.  Even so, the crisis we found ourselves in turned to opportunity in many ways.   Organizations needed to make changes….and quickly. Virtual work took hold and new practices began that probably would not have taken place if it were not for the situations we all found ourselves in.

This panel presentation will focus on regional perspectives from across the United States related to positive outcomes in employment-related supports and services due to the pandemic.  Panelists will share how pivotal practices are impacting our future and where we are heading as we move through the current decade.

with Justice Shorter

This immersive session is designed to equip participants with equitable strategies for recruiting and retaining more Black, Indigenous & Other People Of Color with disabilities. We will use our time together to focus on issues at the intersection of Racial Justice, disability Justice and Gender Justice. The session will provide practical perspectives for participants on how to cultivate an organizational culture that reduces harm, responds to critical personal/professional needs, redistributes decision-making power and reimagines superficial/outdated standards of productivity. Join us as we converse openly about ways to bring forth meaningful and sustained change that centers the collective care and creative capacity of volunteers, employees, contractors/consultants, board members and community partners.

with Dr. Penny Jennings

Greyston Bakery began in 1982, employing individuals who faced barriers to meaningful employment. Through a process they have entitled, Open Hiring ®, there are no interviews, no background checks and no resumes required to get a job. Join this exciting session to learn more about Greyston and their vision to develop effective solutions that address the underlying causes of employment challenges and their Greyston Employment Opportunity Center (GEOC), where job seekers can access training and education programs, youth services and transitional employment services.

with Diane Kehoe, MA, and Jessica Stover, MS, ATP

Get more information and learn about resources to help gain a better understanding of access particularly around digital inclusion and ensuring the needs are met for every person Accessibility in both physical and virtual learning formats will be covered as well as how to recognize if something is truly accessible. Join us as we look at ways to make training and forums more accessible for all! (Note: this session was made available, with thanks, from TLC – The Learning Collaborative).

With Speaking for Ourselves

Join Speaking for Ourselves at they look back at all of our accomplishments and look forward to even more!

Being a member of Speaking for Ourselves is an experience of a lifetime. Celebrate with us and be a part of something big! Speaking for Ourselves is an independent grassroots, self-help/self-advocacy organization run by people with developmental disabilities. Our purpose is to help our members run their organizations, develop leadership skills through real-life experiences, learn to work together collectively to address their own issues, and increase their own self-sufficiency and independence.

Speaking for Ourselves began in February 1982 and has been assisting to empower others, pass legislation, and supporting all people to speak for themselves. We are 40 years strong and continue to uphold the beliefs of our founders.

With Ginny Focht-New

Trauma and its impact have increasingly been the focus of much attention. It is clear that trauma is often the root cause for actions and emotions that are difficult to understand in people. Although many practitioners and caregivers are gaining in experience in recognizing trauma, many people overlook the effects of trauma on the lives of our most vulnerable individuals, people with disabilities, children, homeless individual etc.

This three-part offering will provide an overview of the impact of trauma along with ideas about how to integrate supports into a person’s everyday life.

These lessons will explore:

• Why studying trauma is relevant to our work
• What constitutes trauma
• The effects of trauma on the person emotionally, socially, psychologically, and physically
• There will be an emphasis on ways to therapeutically support an individual in their everyday life

This training is a precursor for more in-depth training about trauma.