Call for Presenters: Michigan Disability Empowerment Conference 2025
Rewriting the Rules: Disability Leadership for a New Era
Friday, October 24, 2025
Henry Ford College | Dearborn, Michigan
Hosted by Dream Dearborn and Humanities 101, the Michigan Disability Empowerment Conference invites advocates, educators, innovators, professionals, and individuals with lived experience to submit presentation proposals for our inaugural event, held on the campus of Henry Ford College. This one-day gathering will amplify disabled voices, showcase inclusive solutions, and build bridges across sectors to promote equity and accessibility throughout Michigan.
About the Conference
Hosted by Dream Dearborn and the Humanities 101 Foundation, this collaborative event is designed to destigmatize disability, promote civic engagement, and foster community-based innovation. Attendees will include self-advocates, service providers, students, policymakers, and community members committed to creating a more inclusive Michigan.
Key Goals
Humanize and center the lived experiences of disabled and neurodivergent Michiganders
Explore affordable housing, accessibility innovations, and inclusive economic practices
Share replicable micro-accommodations and strategies for inclusive education, employment, and living
Create a vibrant resource exchange between individuals, institutions, and grassroots groups
Session Types
We are currently seeking proposals for the following session formats:
Expert Panels: Presentations by professionals, academics, or advocates on specific disability-related topics
Workshops: Interactive, skill-building sessions (such as accessibility tools, advocacy training)
Roundtables: Facilitated group discussions centering lived experience and community insight
Lived Experience Panels: First-person storytelling and lessons learned in the journey of disability and neurodiversity
Student Presentations: High school, undergraduate, or graduate students sharing research, creative ideas, or project-based accessibility solutions
Micro-Trainings: 30-minute sessions for specific audiences (such as educators, first responders, HR professionals) focused on implementing practical accommodations
Suggested Topics (Not Limited To)
Eliminating sub-minimum wages and advancing employment equity
Affordable, integrated housing solutions
Accessible tourism and recreation
Civic engagement for disabled voters and residents
Academic and grassroots approaches to micro-accommodations
Cultural humility in disability services
Innovation through intersectional disability justice (race, gender, class, language access)
Neurodivergent approaches to leadership, wellness, and community care
Multilingual Accessibility
Proposals that offer materials or facilitation in Arabic, Spanish, or ASL are strongly encouraged.
Important Dates
Proposal Deadline: June 15, 2025
Notification of Acceptance: July 15, 2025
Presenter Confirmation Deadline: August 15, 2025
How to Apply
Submit proposals HERE: https://forms.gle/FFdJZwSjKnb2YjqeA
