Earlier this month, our team had an amazing time attending Building Power Together, the first-ever Disability Inclusion Fund grantee convening in Chicago, Illinois!
This event was an amazing gathering of leaders from disability communities across the U.S., both in person and virtually. Over three days, we dove into workshops and discussions that really energized our work. We swapped stories, shared resources, and met so many incredible people doing fantastic work.
We connected with folks from all kinds of organizations, like those empowering individuals with developmental disabilities to advocate for themselves within their communities, civil rights education and enforcement centers, dance and theater groups, and nonprofits working to end violence in deaf communities, just to name a few.
Discussions covered everything from health and policy to community organizing, and even the breakout sessions focused on the different challenges faced by organizations working in specific regions throughout the U.S. We also attended numerous workshops that provided a wealth of information, such as:
⁃ Online Toxicity and Disinformation
⁃ Building a Radical Disability Politic and Access-Centered Cultures
⁃ Imagining a Disability Justice Filled World
⁃ Building Campaigns that Win
And much more! Each session was full of insights and strategies that we can apply to our work. It was also extremely rewarding to connect with so many amazing advocates in the disability space.
The sense of community and shared purpose at Building Power Together was incredibly empowering. We came back from Chicago feeling energized and armed with new ideas and tools to push our mission forward.
Overall, it was an unforgettable experience, and we’re excited to put everything we learned into action!!