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2025 African American Conference on Disabilities

The AACD is the premier comprehensive disability conference in the United States that addresses the intersection between race and disability. The conference examines avenues for self-advocacy to ensure the effective provision of services, resources, and enforcement of civil rights in the African American and disability communities.

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Woman virtually attending the African American Conference

The AACD is the premier comprehensive disability conference in the United States that addresses the intersection between race and disability. The conference examines avenues for self-advocacy to ensure the effective provision of services, resources, and enforcement of civil rights in the African American and disability communities.

Disability Rights Arizona to host the 14th annual African American Conference on Disabilities.

Disability Rights Arizona is proud to host the 2025 African American Conference on Disabilities at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix. The conference’s disability related workshops covered a wide-range of topics that addressed the intersection between race and disabilities. 

As a lead up to the June conference, a virtual seminar was held in February in honor of Black History Month. These four sessions are a preview to the June conference.  See the videos at the bottom of the page.

 

2025 AACD & CHS Conference Schedule

  • Registration – Foyer
    7:00-8:45 am
  • Breakfast – Regency Ballroom
    7:15-8:30 am
  • Welcome and Keynote Regency Ballroom -Monica Wiley (NDRN)
    7:45-8:30 am
  • Meet the Vendors Atrium
    8:30-8:50 am
  1. Ellis– Police Interactions and the Disability Community: An Examination on Past Problems and Discussion on Moving Towards a Collaborative and Just System
  2. Russell– Sickle Cell Patient Population and Clinic Processes
  3. Hanson– Building Bridges For our community: Improving Access to Mental Health Providers of Choice
  4. Curtis AB– AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the Workplace, Friend and Foe  
  5. Cowboy Artists– School Discipline in 2025: Educator and Attorney Perspectives
  6. Remington– Addressing the Need for and the Challenges to Develop a Collaboration Mindset within the Black Community

Break
10:15-10:30 am

  1. Ellis– Protecting the Rights of Parents with Disabilities in Child Welfare Proceedings
  2. Russell– It Takes Everybody to Overcome a Life of Sickle Cell Disease Challenges
  3. Hanson– Designing a Trauma-Informed Curriculum: Focus on Safety, Empowerment, and Application
  4. Curtis AB– Embracing Identity -Arizona Young Adult Leaders   
  5. Cowboy Artists– Empowered Through Connection: How Belonging Strengthens Emotional Autonomy 
  6. Remington– An Exploratory Conversation on the Connections Between Environmental Change and Disability   

Lunch Regency Ballroom
Jerry J. McPherson (AZCAAA) and Mayor Corey D. Woods
11:50-1:00 pm

  1. Ellis– Everything You Need to Know About Handling Discrimination Complaints Before the Arizona Attorney General’s Civil Rights Division    
  2. Russell– Sickle Cell Disease: Shattering Stigma
  3. Hanson– Black Deaf Individuals in the Black Hearing Community: Education and Connection
  4. Curtis AB– Your First Steps to Building Your Credit   
  5. Cowboy Artists– Empowering Parents: Bridging the Gap Between Schools, Healthcare, and Disability Rights
  6. Remington– “How Do We Manage Our Trauma Triggers?  Veterans and Civilians Speak Out”

Break
2:30-2:45 pm

  1. Ellis– Discrimination and Disparities in Healthcare – Advocating for Patient Rights  
  2. Russell– Introducing 360 (SCD) Sickle Cell Disease Hub
  3. Hanson– Crisis & Behavioral Health: Making a Plan and Accessing Support
  4. Curtis AB– Disability and Aging: The Importance of Planning Throughout the Lifespan
  5. Cowboy Artists– Blind Leadership: Defining our Future through collective action, Determination, and Diversity.
  6. Remington– Access to the Electoral Process in a Partisan Environment
  • The Atrium- Sponsors, Vendors, Exhibitors
  •  Ellis- Continue Legal Education (CLE)*
  • Russell- Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona
  • Cameron Room- Free Medical Screening and Vaccinations
  • Borein Room– Quiet Space

Register for the June Conference

Register for Conference

Be a Sponsor, Vendor, or Exhibitor for the 2025 Conference

If you would like to be part of the 2025 conference, view our packet or email Renaldo Fowler, rfowler@azdisabilitylaw.org.

Important Dates

  • In Person Conference – June 13
  • Virtual Conference – February 19-20 (see videos below)

See the Recap of the 2024 conference.

2024 Recap

About the Conference

The African American Conference on Disabilities (AACD), co-founded by Renaldo Fowler and David Carey, is the only comprehensive conference that addresses disability rights issues at the intersection of race and disability. The conference examines avenues for self-advocacy to ensure access to necessary services and enforcement of civil rights in the African American and disability communities.

The AACD is designed to provide education and knowledge to be proactive, not reactive and for the African-American community to obtain information so it will empower them and the community on how to better serve the community and themselves.  Additionally, it is a platform for policymakers and providers to come and hear directly from the African American community.

The conference continues to feature outstanding content delivered by leading disability experts, lawyers, advocates, academics and others from across the country.  One of the highlights of this conference is the sharing of lived experiences and how disability and race intersect in all areas of our lives. In the past several years, over 20,000 attendees have come from all across Arizona, almost every U.S. state, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Africa, and Europe to learn and ask questions on a wide range of disability issues.

Thank you to our partners, the Arizona Center for African American Resources (AzCAAR) and the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Network (ADDN) for their continued support: University of Arizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, Northern Arizona University Institute for Human Development, and the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.

  • Disability Rights Arizona
  • Arizona Complete Health
  • Banner University Family Care
  • Arizona Center for African American Resources
  • Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona
  • Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, University of Arizona
  • Institute for Human Development, Northern Arizona University
  • Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
  • Humana Healthy Horizons
  • TD SYNNEX
  • Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family
  • Foundation for Senior Living (FSL)
  • Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • Raising Special Kids
  • Hospice of the Valley
  • Salt River Project
  • Mark’s The Spot Salon
  • The Arc of Arizona
  • All Voting is Local – Arizona

Frequently asked questions

For more information about the 2025 conference, contact Renaldo Fowler at rfowler@disabilityrightsaz.org

The virtual 2025 pre-conference videos are available below:

  • 2025 Session 1: Intersections Between Conflict, Environmental Factors and Disability
  • 2025 Session 2: Beyond the Study African American Disability Experiences Leading Change in Research
  • 2025 Session 3: International Perspectives Advancing Disability Rights and Inclusion in Africa
  • 2025 Session 4: Police Interactions and the Disability Community: An Examination on Past Problems and Discussion on Moving Towards a Collaborative and Just System

Languages

Automatic

Resources

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