Join us for the third annual UCP Conference on Latinos with Disabilities
September 3 – 5, 2024
This is an virtual online conference spotlighting the role, impact and influence of Latinos in the disability community.
The event is free and open to the general public but registration is required.
While many of the topics addressed during this conference are of interest to the wide disability community, this event aims to highlight the distinct ways that Latinos with disabilities, their families and service providers shape our communities.
Among the key outcomes of the conference:
“The 2024 State of Latinos with Disabilities” report.
Agenda
Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, 1 to 4 p.m., Eastern
1 to 1:10 p.m. – Opening and premier sponsor’s remarks, UCP President and CEO Armando Contreras; Amanda Zink of Waymo.
1:10 to 2:25 p.m. – The State of Latinos with Disabilities presentation and post-analysis discussion, Presentation by UCP Conference Coordinator James Garcia. Robert Espinoza, CEO, National Skills Coalition; George Garcia, Executive Director of the SW Institute for Families and Children; Grace Huerta, vice president of El Arc de California representative (invited)
2:25 to 2:35 p.m. – Break
2:35 – 3:50 p.m. – Voting, Accessibility and the Disability Community: Panelists Renaldo Fowler, Arizona Disability Law Center; Marlene Sallo, Executive Director of the National Disability Rights Center; Adrian Fontes, Arizona Secretary of State or surrogate; (invited).
3:50 p.m. to 4 p.m./ Closing Remarks, James Garcia
Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, 1 to 4 p.m. Eastern
1 to 1:05 p.m. Opening remarks, Ouida Spencer, Chair of the UCP Board of Trustees
1:05 to 2:25 p.m. – Refugees with Disabilities / Panelists: Jacy K. Farkas, Director, Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, Univ. of Arizona (confirmed); Venícia Mayo Burton, Refugee Programs Compliance Coordinator, Catholic Charities Community Services; Mia Ives Rublee of the Center for American Progress (invited); Josue Rodriguez of ADAPT (invited)
2:25 to 2:35 p.m. – Break
2:35 – 3:50 – Language Access and Disability Services: Panelists Karla Greene, interpreter and community outreach specialist at UCP of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley; Doris Maldonado, former chair of the Connecticut Council of Disabilities; Dr. Irma Rosa, Sr. Director of Therapy Practices/ Site Coordinator of Clinical Education, UCP of Central Florida.
3:50 to 4 p.m. – Closing Remarks, James Garcia
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, 1 to 4 p.m. Eastern
1 to 1:05 p.m. Welcoming remarks – Andrea Stoesz, UCP Policy Committee chair and Executive Director of the UCP of Minnesota.
1:05 to 2:25 p.m. – Transitioning to Higher Education: Javier Robles, professor and researcher, Rutgers University; Dave Berthiaume, Source America and former Dept. of Education expert on disability rights.
2:25 to 2:35 p.m.: Break
2:35 to 3:50 p.m.: Keynote Speaker and Q&A: Doris Maldonado, former chair of the Connecticut Council of Disabilities.
3:50 to 4 p.m.: Closing Remarks by UCP President and CEO Armando Contreras.
UCP thanks our generous sponsors:
Registrants will receive a Zoom link to attend this event 72 hours before the start of the conference.
Check out last year’s conference agenda
Day 1 – Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023
(All times are Eastern)
11 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. — Opening remarks: UCP Board Chair Keith Graham. Sponsors remarks: Amanda Ventura Zink, public affairs manager, Waymo, sponsor of the UCP 2023 State of Latinos With Disabilities report.
11:10 to 11:55 a.m. — “The State of Latinos with Disabilities Report.” An overview of the state of Latinos with disabilities in the U.S., presented by Conference Coordinator James Garcia. Post-presentation discussion with Andres Gallegos, chairman of the National Council on Disability and Doris Maldonado, chair of the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities.
11:55 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. — Break
12:05 to 1:05 p.m. — “The Fallout of the ‘Great’ Medicaid Unwinding.” With the end of the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) millions of Americans, and especially people in communities of color, are losing access to Medicaid, the federal program that provides health care coverage to nearly 90 million Americans, including low-income children, adults, and people with disabilities. The situation is wreaking havoc in Latino communities nationwide, according to a recent report by UnidosUS. Panelists: Joe Perales, Director of El Arc de California; Elizabeth Edwards, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Center; Stacey Pogue, Senior Policy Analyst at Every Texan; and Scott Darius, Executive Director, Florida Voices for Health.
Moderated by UnidosUS Health Policy Director Stan Dorn.
1:05 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. — Break
1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. “Podcasting in the Disability Community.” Panelists: Carlos Gonzales, co-host of My Life Without Limits; Alan Martino, Ph.D, University of Calgary; and Whitney Bailey of Spastic Chatter.
Moderated by Leah Ison, co-host of My Life Without Limits (CP Alberta).
2:15 to 2:25 p.m. — Break
2:25 to 3:25 p.m. — “Latinos Workers with Disabilities in Our Changing Economy.” Nearly 80 percent of new workers and 1 in 5 workers altogether in the U.S. will be Latino by 2030. How will Latino workers with disabilities factor in? Panelists: Michael Lugo, Assistant Director of Outreach and Leadership Training at Disabilities Voices United and Integrated Community Collaborative; Yasmina Saba, Assistant at Adaptive Movements and UCP social media volunteer; Andres Gallegos, chairman of the National Council on Disability; and Mark Costa, Yale School of Medicine.
Moderated by Lydia Dawson, Director of Policy, Regulatory & Legal Analysis at ANCOR.
3:25 to 3:30 p.m. — Closing remarks and preview of Wednesday and Thursday panels and speakers.
Day 2 – Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023
(All times are Eastern)
11 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. — Welcome remarks: UCP President and CEO Armando Contreras
11:05 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. — “The Power of Community Intersections,” a discussion about the goals, challenges, and experiences of diverse communities in the disability community. Panelists: Renaldo Fowler, founder and director of the African American Conference on Disabilities; Grace Huerta, vice president of El Arc de California; James Garcia, Coordinator for the Conference on Latinos With Disabilities; Joseph Canty, EDI Director at Best Buddies International; and Phillip Saldana, Operations Manager, Respectability.
Moderated by Sasha Sencer, Director of Education and Intersectional Collaboration at ANCOR
11:55 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. — Break
12:05 to 1:05 p.m. — “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of the Disability Community.” Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping our society. How will it impact the lives of people with disabilities? Panelists: Norma Padron, Founder and CEO of EmpiricaLab; Doug Golub, President, MediSked.com.
Moderated by Kate McSweeny, president and CEO of ACCSES
1:05 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. — Break
1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. – “The Legal Rights of People with Disabilities in Law Enforcement Encounters.” Lead presenter Asim Dietrich, Arizona Center for Disability Law, addresses the rights of people with psychological and intellectual disabilities when confronted by police and the courts. Panelists: Aisha C. Novasky, Supervising Attorney, Civil Rights Practice Group, Disability Rights California; Teri Caserta, The Brandon Caserta Foundation; Mark Caserta, The Brandon Foundation; and Mark Costa, Yale School of Medicine.
Moderated by Natalie Luna Rose, Outreach and Communications Manager for Arizona Center of Disability Law
2:15 to 2:25 p.m. — Break
2:25 to 3:25 p.m. — “Building Bridges to the Future.” Presenter Laura Gonzalez, VP of Transition and Day Services for UCP Seguin Greater Chicago, talks about the organization’s Building Bridges to the Future program transitioning Latino youth and other young adults to adult disability services. Panelists: Saumil Patel, school social worker at PAEC Center; Fawnb Joyce, Program Chair Cite Team at Oak Park and River Forest High School – District 200; Erin Hoving, Transition Specialist and Youth Services Coordinator at Glenbard District 87; Lilian Santana, David Espinoza, and Beatriz Arias, parents.
Moderated by Lori Opiela, Senior Policy Research and Advocacy Officer at UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago
3:25 to 3:30 p.m. — Closing remarks, President and CEO Armando Contreras, preview of Wednesday and Thursday panels and speakers.
Day 3 – Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023
(All times are Eastern)
11 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. — Welcome back, President and CEO, Armando Contreras
11:05 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. — “Race, Class, Gender and the Tragedy of Willowbrook State School.” Opened in 1947, the Willowbrook State School housed tens of thousands of people with psychiatric, intellectual and developmental disabilities until it was forced to close its doors in the 1980s because of its record of abuse and the nation’s trend toward deinstitutionalization. Jorge Matos Valldejuli, Assistant Professor and Reference Librarian at Hostos Community College at The City University of New York (CUNY) talks about the role that race, class and gender played when it came to deciding the fate of those living at one of Willowbrook’s so called overflow facilities, the Gouverneur State School. Panelists: Dr. William Bronston, author of Public Ransom, Public Hostage and former MD at Willowbrook; Dr. Mike Wilkins, former MD at Willowbrook; Jose Rivera, Corporate Compliance Officer at CP Nausau; Bernard Carabello, former resident at Willowbrook State School.
Moderated by Conference Coordinator James Garcia.
11:55 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. — Break
12:05 to 1:05 p.m. — “Crossing Borders, Building Bridges.” Armando Contreras, president and CEO of UCP, presents on the need to build ties between nonprofit disability organizations in the U.S., Mexico and Canada to develop a unified approach to promoting equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in society. Panelists: UCP President and CEO Armando Contreras; Dr. Maria Ibarra, president and CEO of Nuevo Amanacer; Joanne Dorn, executive director of CP Alberta.
Moderated by Javier Robles of Rutgers University
1:05 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. — Break
1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. – “Voting Rights and the Intersection of Communities of Color and People with Disabilities.” Panelists: George Garcia, Executive Director of the Southwest Institute for Families and Children; Marlene Sallo, Executive Director of the National Disability Rights Network’ Olivia Babis Keller, Senior Public Policy Analyst, Disability Rights Florida.
Moderated by Natalie Luna Rose, Outreach and Communications Manager for Arizona Center of Disability Law
2:15 to 2:25 p.m. — Break
2:25 to 3:25 p.m. — Navigating EDIA in Our Times (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessiblity) Juan Otero, Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for Comcast Corporation; Malene Sallo, Executive Director of the National Disability Rights Network; UCP President and CEO Armando Contreras.
Moderated by Doris Maldonado, chair of the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities.
3:25 to 3:30 p.m. — Closing remarks by Armando Contreras.
