CALL FOR PROPOSALS:
MOMENTUM: A Disability Justice UnConference, Commemoration & Celebration of the International Day of People with Disabilities
Submission Deadline: October 31st, 2017 at 11:59pm
Event Date: December 2, 2017
Location: Hamilton Public Library (Central Branch) at 55 York Blvd
Purpose: This “unconference” aims to honour the International Day of People with Disabilities by providing space for activists, community members, academics, and service providers to gather for discussion.
Hosted by disability activists living, learning, working, and playing in Hamilton: Sarah Jama, Shanth Bahee, Kate Brown, Eminet Tefera, Alise DeBie
Sponsored and supported by: Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion Laidlaw Foundation, and Equity and Inclusion Office, McMaster University
Are you a person who experiences disability, disablement, chronic illness, madness, trauma, and/or addiction?
Do you belong to a Disability, Deaf, and/or Mad community?
Are you an ally working in solidarity with disabled, Deaf, and/or Mad people or communities?
Do you want to gather with other disability activists and allies to build the momentum of disability justice organizing in Hamilton?
Then we invite you to submit a proposal to present/facilitate at Hamilton’s 2017 Disability Justice Momentum conference! We welcome a range of presentation topics and formats, revolving around the following unconference themes:
UnConference Themes
(Remembering): Disability history, who and what we have lost
(Recognizing): Pride, art, sexuality, identity, survival strategies, daily resistance, endurance, hopes, dreams, grassroots leadership
(Resisting): Global disability justice issues, ableism, sanism, microaggressions, inaccessibility, police brutality, coercion, hate, poverty, White supremacy, ongoing eugenic practices
(Reciprocating): Through peer support, community building, friendship, care networks, interdependence, creating accessibility with and for each other
(Residing): In our bodies, minds, homes, neighbourhoods, Hamilton, Turtle Island
(Reimagining): Disability justice, activism, disability futures, peer research, Disability studies, Mad studies, political involvement, citizenship, rights, policy and law, consent, autonomy
(Reanimating): Through skill sharing, experiential learning, storytelling, outrage and love
Types of Proposals
Community fair:
You have artwork, pamphlets, petitions, a research poster, etc. that you’d like to display, share, give, sell
Discussion starters:
You have a topic or question you’d like to discuss with other attendees or a subgroup of attendees
You can pitch a topic (we’ll look for a facilitator) and/or offer a topic you’d like to facilitate
Show and tell:
10-15 minute “show and tell” presentations about an activist strategy, project, issue, or idea you’re working on
Tell us about successes, struggles, questions, ways the community can support you
Learn how to do X (workshop) (60-90 minutes):
Share something you’ve figured out how to do that can help others in gaining momentum within Disability Justice organizing – e.g. how to write a grant proposal, speak to the media, find your allies, make a zine
Papers:
Papers with be grouped into panels – 20 minute presentations per person
Artistic performance:
Something you’d like to perform at an open mic – music, theatre, improv, comedy, spoken word, poetry, book reading, film screening, etc.
Consultation:
Are you looking to connect with people with disabilities for input on a project or proposal you’re working on? Be in touch with the event organizers to see how we might be able to share information with attendees before/during/or after the unConference
To submit an idea or proposal, please fill-in this form! https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSfhXl74DbCH6MowYx…/viewform
Please note: We picked Hamilton as a location for this unConference, in part due to the fact that Hamilton has the highest population of people with disabilities in the province, and is extremely underserviced. If you would like to submit a proposal, but transportation to Hamilton is an issue, we will be providing travel support.
For questions, comments, or concerns contact Sarah Jama at
140 King Street East, Unit 20
Hamilton, ON L8N 1B2
Ph:905 297 4694 x 201
e-mail: sjama@hcci.ca
Twitter: @SarahJama_