Disability Impact: Breaking Through Barriers to Civic Leadership
The Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and Innovation launched on November 5, 2018, with our first symposium titled “Disability Impact: Breaking Through Barriers to Civic Leadership”. This symposium convened top thought leaders, policy-makers, academics, students and the disability community at large to join us as we started conversations and calls-to-action centered on dismantling physical and attitudinal barriers, promoting innovation in technology, and giving voice to the disability electorate through national polling. Held the day before national mid-term elections, we responded to persistent issues that create barriers to our civic engagement and leadership. When we move beyond inclusion to promoting disabled leadership, our society will feel the strength of the disability impact.
The day started with a lunchtime keynote address on recent polling on the disability community as an electorate body. From there, we had a panel of disabled makers and inventors who are shaping the rapid changes in the world of technology that increase disability participation and access. We then brought together representatives from the media, television, movie and advertising sectors to discuss how they are tackling stigma. We convened with a reception and networking hour for synergy, celebration, and collaboration.