We are very excited to publish this call for proposals for what we expect to be an important day in the story of the disability community in Tennessee. This conference is organized by The Arc TN along with community partners and will take place in Nashville on February 23, 2019 at The Inn at Opryland in Nashville.

PURPOSE

The Arc Tennessee empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to actively participate in the community throughout their lifetime. "The Future of Disability: a Big Ideas Event” will be a gathering of the community, to not only look at how far we've come, but more importantly to take a visionary, inspiring, and challenging look at the road ahead. What are the next steps in helping individuals with disabilities to truly realize their full potential?

Many of you will be familiar with the format of the popular TED and TEDx conference. While this is NOT an official "TEDx" conference, we will be borrowing from that format. The day will be a series of short (20 minutes or less), focused, and challenging presentations from individuals passionate about the future of people with disabilities who will share their best vision of the future, along with a call to action for how to get there. Entertainment will be woven in with the presentations and there will be plenty of networking opportunities.

GUIDELINES FOR POTENTIAL SPEAKERS

Are you (or someone you know) exploring a unique perspective that's promoting new insight into the world of disability? Pursuing extraordinary projects right here in our local community? Do you have a powerful story that will impact how we interpret and effect change? Do you have an idea that needs to be shared in order to grow? Then we WANT and NEED to hear from you!

We DO want fresh ideas, paradigm-shifting challenges, and suggestions that will demand new ways of thinking that will accomplish the dreams of people with disabilities and their families. We do NOT want a day of stale, bullet-point PowerPoint presentations that simply inform people of ongoing work or research already completed.

TOPICS OF INTEREST

As an example, proposals may be in any of the following areas (not an exhaustive list):

  • Education
  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • "Next Generation" Provider Networks
  • Faith & Disability
  • Self Determination and Self-Direction
  • Sexuality and Relationships
  • Health and Wellbeing
  • Athletic/Recreation
  • Choice in Decision-Making
  • Mental Health
  • Accessibility
  • Assistive Technology
  • Long Term Supports & Services
  • Employment
  • Quality of Life
  • Community Living
  • Inclusion

IMPORTANT DATES AND DETAILS

Deadline for Submission: December 5, 2018

Notification of Acceptance: December 12, 2018

Deadline for final outline and/or video explanation of presentation: January 4, 2019

Please submit your proposal in the form of an abstract. Abstracts should be a simple narrative outlining your idea, the purpose of your presentation, and the challenge or call to action you will issue for our attendees. Please limit to no more than 500 words. Please include a brief biographical sketch of no more than 200 words.

For inquiries regarding the conference please contact: Carrie Hobbs Guiden at cguiden@thearctn.org

We look forward to seeing you at “The Future of Disability: A Big Ideas Event!

Loading... Loading...
You have selected an option that triggers this survey to end right now.
To save your responses and end the survey, click the 'End Survey' button below. If you have selected the wrong option by accident and/or wish to return to the survey, click the 'Return and Edit Response' button.