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Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

Call for Workshop Proposals: 2019 Annual Conference on Independent Living

Annual Conference on Independent Living 2019

July 22-25, 2019; Grand Hyatt, Washington

Submit a workshop proposal

NCIL’s Annual Conference is the largest Independent Living event of the year. NCIL regularly hosts over 1,000 people, including grassroots advocates, CIL and SILC leadership, members of Congress, government officials, and representatives from other major organizations that work for justice and equity for people with disabilities.

Logo: 2019 Annual Conference on Independent Living - featuring a white starburst graphicThe theme of NCIL’s 2019 Annual Conference on Independent Living is IGNITE. The Independent Living Movement ignites action and empowerment. We are not a sedentary bunch. When there is work to be done, we do it. When bad policy threatens our independence and rights, we react. When we know we have a better way, we take action to influence policy and pass laws. We are organized, we are powerful, and we know what we want. All it takes is a spark!

In 2019, we will offer another exciting Annual Conference with strong, varied workshops that will provide valuable resources and opportunities for discussion. We will address political power and advocacy, support new leaders in the Movement, approach healthcare as a right, and discuss promising practices in CIL core services and SILC operations.

It is with these goals in mind that the National Council on Independent Living seeks workshops for our 2019 Annual Conference in the following tracks:

  • Ignite Our Political Power Track: Workshops addressing the political power of the disability community, including voting rights, running for office, and systems advocacy.
  • Ignite New Leaders Track: Workshops related to building new leadership by including and prioritizing the perspectives of youth, people of color, people who are LGBTQ, and other advocates under-represented in the IL Movement.
  • Ignite the IL Network Track: Workshops addressing innovation and promising practices in the core services of Centers for Independent Living, especially the new core services of youth transition, transition from institutions to the community, and avoiding institutions.
  • Healthcare Track Sponsored by the WITH Foundation: Workshops related to healthcare, including healthcare policy and advocacy, along with the healthcare landscape and contracting with Managed Care Organizations and other healthcare providers.
  • Ignite Our SILCs Track: Workshops covering best practices and innovation in operations and programs of Statewide Independent Living Councils.

In addition to these priorities, NCIL’s Annual Conference Subcommittee encourages workshops that seek to improve the skills and resources of staff to carry out the core services of CILs and operate strong SILCs. NCIL also welcomes applications for Poster Sessions, Film Screenings, and other media that address our priority topics and Independent Living. 

  • Please see NCIL’s Important Information for Presenters for further details before planning your proposal. Presenters and facilitators are not exempt from registration fees. Presenters must register and pay for all days they plan to attend; presenters that attend only their session and no other events do not need to pay.
  • Deadline for Submission is Monday, January 28, 2019. No proposals will be accepted after 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

Word and plain text proposal forms are available for those who are unable to complete the online form.