Press Releases
2007 Metro Self-Advocacy Conference May 18-19
Urges
People with Disabilities to ‘Lead. Change. Empower.’
Comedian Josh Blue Headlines Friday Evening Program
Friday March 30, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS – People with disabilities and their allies from
around the state are invited to make connections and develop their
self-advocacy skills at the 2007 Minnesota Self-Advocacy Conference May 18-19
at the Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront Hotel, 11 E. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul.
This year’s event is titled, “Lead. Change. Empower.” It will feature 52
workshops on expanding personal power, getting involved in political change and
building self-advocacy groups. Self-advocacy is a civil rights movement led by
people with developmental and other disabilities and their allies, who work
together to break down barriers to full inclusion and to promote equal rights
and access in all aspects of society.
Headlining Friday evening’s program is comedian Josh Blue, winner of the 2006
Last Comic Standing. After his performance, there will be a dance featuring
live music by local band “The Source.”
The 2007 conference is sponsored by self-advocacy organizations from around the
state, including Advocating Change Together, Arc Greater Twin Cities,
metropolitan area chapters of People First, Community Connections Partnership,
Dakota Communities, Hammer Residences, Inc., Lifeworks Services, Mains’l
Services, Inc., Merrick, Inc., Metropolitan Center for Independent Living and
People First Minnesota.
The cost is $75 for both days and $25 for youth age 21 and under, including
support staff attending Friday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. only. The cost includes all
activities, parking, lunch on Friday and Saturday, the Friday banquet and
Saturday hors d’oeuvres. The cost does not include hotel room or breakfasts.
The registration deadline is May 7. For conference questions and registration,
visit www.selfadvocacy.org or contact Kathy Sanders at (651) 641-0297 or via
e-mail at act@selfadvocacy.org. To make hotel reservations, call (651)
292-1900. There is a special Self-Advocacy Conference room rate of $118.65 for
reservations made before April 23.