The unwillingness to try is worse than any failure. Nikki Giovanni
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Dis
 bilityStrong
Disability
Strong Virtual Conference
September
20 – 24, 2025 OR ******************** The Disability Strong Conference is a 5-day virtual conference that
provides a platform to give voice to individuals with disabilities and allies
to connect, share their stories, and advance disability awareness and
advocacy in communities that support individuals with disabilities. ******************** |
AGENDA:
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Saturday, September 20, 1:00 – 2:00pm PST, 4:00 – 5:00pm EST
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Session 1: Building
Change
Led
by Nico
Meyering Disability
advocate and civic leader Nico Meyering reflects on his lived experience with
orphan disease and his journey through inaccessible systems toward impactful
leadership. As Board President of Young Involved Philadelphia and Chair of
the Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities, Nico has helped reshape
how local civic institutions engage with disability—placing justice, access,
and inclusion at the center. Through stories that are personal, political,
and at times unexpectedly funny, Nico explores how Disabled people build
power, forge coalitions, and drive meaningful change in the nation’s most
Disabled big city. Attendees will leave with fresh insights and practical
inspiration on how to reimagine civic spaces, not just as accessible—but as places
where Disabled people lead, thrive, and belong.
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Sunday, September 21, 9:00 – 10:00am PST, 12:00 – 1:00pm EST
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Session 2: From Trauma to Healing
Led
by Nicole Demos The World
Health Organisation (WHO) defines trauma as “a delayed or protracted response
to a stressful event or situation (either short or long-lasting) of an
exceptionally threatening or long-lasting nature, which is likely to cause
pervasive distress in almost anyone. Join Nicole as she openly shares her
experience with trauma and healing in Finland. Help her share the importance
of self-care, advocacy and finding voice that is nurtured when surrounded by
people you trust within your safe space.
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Sunday, September 21, 1:00 – 2:00pm PST, 4:00pm – 5:00pm EST
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Session 3: Intersectionality of Race
and Disability
Led
by Nancy
Williams-Nettles Intersectionality,
introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989), explains how overlapping oppressions
like racism and ableism create unique challenges for marginalized groups,
especially people of color with disabilities. These individuals often face
compounded discrimination, including misdiagnosis and exclusion from
equitable systems. Although disability is seldom included in intersectional
research, increasing awareness of ableism offers potential for more
inclusive, justice-driven approaches that reflect the complex realities of
those most affected.
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Monday, September 22, 4:00 – 5:00pm PST, 7:00 – 8:00pm EST
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Session 4: Civic Engagement,
Policymaking, and Advocacy
Panel
Discussion with
This
panel discussion will outline how to get more involved in the community to
promote positive change, politically and non-politically. This could include
any activities or meetings, virtually or in-person. The important part is to
get involved and speak out. This could include sharing a social media post or
even being a panelist at the Disability Strong Conference! The panelists will
discuss how to get more involved to influence and highlight how they have
done this through their life experiences and journey. |
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Tuesday, September 23, 5:00 – 6:00pm PST, 8:00 – 9:00pm EST
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Session 5: Using Inclusive
Language/How to be an Ally
Designed by Nicole Demos,
Led by Jenn
Chassman Browne This
session will help you to:
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Foster belonging,
inclusion, equity, empathy and care to discover the value of being a genuine,
thoughtful ally
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Be inspired to be
advocates for change at your own pace, and in your own way
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Embrace how words and
actions can collaborate and make accessibility and inclusivity a reality in
every environment
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Wednesday, September 24, 5:00 – 6:00pm PST, 8:00 – 9:00pm EST
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Session 6: How Violence and Disability
Converge
Led
by Margaux
Sorenson This
session offers a deeper understanding of how violence impacts people with
disabilities. Participants will learn about the disproportionate rates of
abuse, the structural barriers to reporting and healing, and how stigma,
institutionalization, and perceived vulnerability have historically left
disabled people unprotected. We’ll
also explore the roots of ableism, the impact of the ADA, and the work being done by The
Initiative to center disabled survivors in advocacy and systems change. This
session is both educational and empowering—focused on increasing awareness
while uplifting real efforts toward safety, equity, and justice for
all disabled people |
