2015 Annual Conference on Independent Living

2015 Annual Conference Guide

• Download the 2015 Annual Conference Guide (in PDF or plain text) for complete details on this year’s Annual Conference!

NCIL’s Annual Conference draws individuals of all ages and disabilities from all 50 states. In recent years, the NCIL conference has hosted nearly 1,000 individuals, including grassroots advocates, CIL and SILC leadership, and representatives from other major organizations that work for justice and equity for people with disabilities. In 2015, we expect over 1,000 community members, leaders, and advocates to unite in our nation’s capital to celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of the ADA. We will honor our past and catalyze our future as we rise up to learn from young advocates that have grown up in the 25 years since that momentous legislative victory.

Since the passage of the ADA, this entire generation of young advocates with disabilities has grown up: the ADA Generation. These advocates are here; ready to be included and supported to lead. NCIL is the longest-running national disability organization working across lines of age and disability. If our success is to continue, we must build authentic and lasting participation and leadership of young advocates in NCIL and throughout the Independent Living and Disability Rights Movements.

We ask current leaders and Executive Directors of CILs and SILCs to support young people with disabilities in their efforts to travel to and present at the conference. We are specifically seeking young leaders and adult allies to apply for workshop sessions that will orient fellow young advocates and new conference attendees with NCIL, the Independent Living Movement, and advocacy and legislative work. We ask young people with disabilities to attend the conference, apply for workshop sessions, and mobilize other young advocates to do the same. For our part, NCIL will provide the space for these workshops and discussions, and work tirelessly to identify ways to reduce and/or support costs for young advocates to attend.

Let’s come together in Washington next summer to learn from each other, foster new leadership, cultivate cross-generational connections, crush tokenism, and secure our Movement’s growth!

Our 2015 Annual Conference will feature the following workshop tracks:

• SILC Track: Workshops covering best practices and innovation in operations and programs of Statewide Independent Living Councils;
• ILA Track: Workshops for CILs or SILCs related to the IL Program’s transition to the Independent Living Administration at the US Department of HHS;
• Youth Track: Workshops related to youth leadership, outreach, and movement building;
• Orientation Track: Workshops aimed at orienting young advocates and new attendees to NCIL, disability rights advocacy, and federal legislation;
• General Track: Workshops for staff, consumers, and other advocates in the Independent Living Movement that do not fit the other four categories.