What ideas do you want the participants to take away?
- understand common ground of the disability rights movement with other social/civil rights movements
- raise consciousness about prejudice against people with disabilities perpetuated by mainstream culture, and the need for other social justice movements to understand and embrace the disability rights movement

How does your event connect to the USSF Crosscutting Themes?
Poverty, segregation and bigotry are the biggest barriers that limit the range of social and economic opportinities for people with disabilities, rather than the disability itself. Our culture must shift to look at disability in context of these larger social justice issues shared among oppressed groups. Mainstream culture, as well as much of the "liberal/left" fail to see these common barriers that people with disabilities share with other social justice movements, and continue to perpetuate the prejudice that focuses on "curing" the individual is the solution to the disability "problem." This problem is clearly illustrated by the oppressive housing programs sponsored by our government, and will only be significantly changed by direct grassroots action.

How will the participants be engaged?
Much of the discussion will be formatted in open ended questions which encourage participants to actively examine and discuss our unconscious prejudices about disability. Current policies that legally oppress people with disabilities will be presented through individual case examples, leading to a discussion of the similarities and differences with other social justice movements. Finally, participants will be encouraged to consider disability as a natural part of human experience, and disability as the only "minority group" that anyone can join at any time.

What language will your activity be conducted in?
English

Will you provide oral interpretation? Will you provide equipment (headset and transmitter) for interpretation?
Unsure, but unlikely

Will you provide handouts for attendees? In Spanish? In English? In another language (if so, state the language)? USSF will not copy handouts for you.
Handouts, most of which are currently available in spanish and english, working to ensure that ALL are available in English and spanish

What is the biggest challenge/adversary your movement/organization faces?
The nursing home industry; providers of segregated housing and services; mainstream culture's accepted prejudices about disability.

What concrete alternative(s) do you propose?
Various legislative proposals and media campaigns on the local, state and national level.

What strategies do you propose to achieve these alternatives?
Grassroots activism and civil disobedience.

Any other special needs?
wheelchair accessibility