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Women with Disabilities and Allies Forum Linking Arms for Equality and Justice for All Register Online

General Information

Forum Facilities | Accommodations | Meals | Childcare | Exhibit Hall | Forum Guidelines | Plenary Sessions | Workshops | Optional Evening Sessions | Yoga | Networking Groups | Entertainment

Forum Facilities

The Women with Disabilities & Allies Forum is being held at the Bethesda Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland. All official Forum events will take place on-site at the Hyatt Regency.

Plenaries and general events will be held in the Crystal Ballroom on the Ballroom Level. Registration will be in the Crystal Ballroom Foyer. Workshops will be held on the conference level. Should you have any questions, visit the Information Booth on the Ballroom Level.

Accommodations

AAPD and NOW are committed to making this Forum as accessible as possible. ASL interpreters will be present at all sessions, including plenaries and workshops, and CART will be provided for the plenaries and daytime workshops. Participants requiring sign language interpretation should sit in the front rows. The program book is available in several alternate formats; you can request a copy in braille, large print, on audiotape or on disk at registration or the Forum Office.

Please note that in consideration of those with chemical sensitivities, the Women with Disabilities & Allies Forum is a scent-free event. Participants are asked to use unscented products in lieu of scented toiletries and detergents, and to refrain from wearing perfumes and colognes.

Meals

As part of the registration fee, attendees will be provided with lunch on both Saturday and Sunday. The registration fee also covers hors d'oeuvres at the Friday evening reception; a cash bar will be available.

Childcare

On-site childcare is provided during this Forum free of charge if requested in advance. In order to adequately prepare for childcare, we must have received pre-notification of childcare needs. The childcare room number is available only to parents or guardians at the Information Booth and at Registration.

Childcare is offered Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Meals are not provided; parents or guardians must pack meals and snacks for their children. If you have any further questions regarding childcare, check at the Information Booth or the Forum Office.

Exhibit Hall

Exhibitors are located in the Tiffany Salon. We encourage all attendees to visit the exhibit hall to pick up additional information from allied organizations and to support feminist/disability rights merchants.

Forum Guidelines

The following guidelines are intended to create an atmosphere most conducive to achieving the goals of the Forum:

1. Every person participating in this Forum is of equal worth and value.
2. All opinions are valued and needed.
3. Each person should speak in "I" terms, e.g. "I think...," "I feel...," "I believe..."
4. Listen to one another with respect. It is important to understand that people are talking about what is true for them. Points may arise upon which we may not all agree, but we should disagree respectfully.
5. NO ZAPS! Zaps are personal and personalized digs.
6. If there are things that you do not understand or know, please ask questions and seek clarification.
7. Stay focused and on track!
8. Please allow others the opportunity to speak if you have already done so.
9. HAVE FUN!

Plenary Sessions

Plenary Sessions are general sesssions which all participants are encouraged to attend. Each plenary session has been designated with a theme relevant to the issues covered at this Forum. The theme for each plenary, and the speakers appearing in those sessions, are listed in the agenda.

Workshops

Workshops are interactive sessions focusing on organizing for disability and women's rights. Presenters and participants will share information, exchange ideas and discuss action plans. Dialogue and creative problem-solving are welcome. The goal of these sessions is to send participants home with new inspiration and tactics to organize in their own communities.

Optional Evening Sessions

The sessions on Saturday at 7:45 pm and 9:30 pm include entertainment programs and relaxed information sessions, a fun way to unwind at the end of a busy day. For those who are still in the mood, several workshops are also available in the first evening session.

Yoga for Feminists

"It's not about Buns of Steel; It's About Hearts of Gold and Wills of Iron." Please join us Saturday at 7:30 am - 8:15 am for Kripalu yoga—a joyful, gentle, healing, restorative and energizing way to start your day. By honoring the body and breathing/moving with awareness and compassion, we release tensions, reduce stress, regain balance, restore clarity and reclaim joy. Wheelchair users are welcome.

Networking Groups

The Networking Groups (Saturday 5:15 pm - 6:30 pm) provide a time for attendees who share a common interest to get together. This offers an excellent opportunity to meet others from around the globe who share specific concerns. The Networking Groups also provide a forum for discussion and planning. Topics will be determined by the attendees. Examples of topics are Women of Color, Lesbian Rights, International Issues, etc. These sessions may take place in workshop rooms, individuals' hotel rooms or other available common meeting areas. Once the topics and locations have been established, they will be posted on the information board in the registration area. We also encourage small groups to caucus at breakfast and during other breaks.

Entertainment

Plenary IV - Sunday, 12:15 pm - 1:45 pm

Love is a Disability by WINGS!

WINGS! is a performing ensemble of BAPA's Imagination Stage. Established in 1979, BAPA's Imagination Stage (formerly Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts) strives to nurture the creativity in all children and has cutting-edge inclusion programs serving those with physical or developmental disabilities and those who are Deaf. BAPA's Imagination Stage also has year-round professional theatre for families and extensive theatre arts education programs at its Bethesda home, the largest theatre arts center for young people on the East Coast.

This performance of Love is a Disability was underwritten by a grant from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council.

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In consideration of those with allergies and respiratory problems, the Women with Disabilities & Allies Forum is a scent free" event. Participants are asked to use unscented products in lieu of scented toiletries and detergents, and to refrain from wearing perfumes and colognes.

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