ADAPT of Texas, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, Disability Rights Texas, REV UP Texas, Texas Advocates, Texas Parent to Parent, Texas State Independent Living Council, The Arc of Texas, and over 70 other advocates and organizations are planning a Disability Issues Forum to educate the community of people with disabilities about candidates for major statewide elected office. This one-day event will feature the offices of Governor, Lt. Governor, Texas Attorney General and U. S. Senate. Candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties will be invited.

The forum will take place August 27 at the UT McCombs School of Business, Robert B. Rowling Hall, 300 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Austin, TX 78701 [view map]. The organizers offer an opportunity for your organization to be a named co-host.

The Event

The organizers and other advocates and organizations announce and invite your participation in the 2018 Texas Disability Issues Candidates Forum. We are moving forward and are interested in engaging a broad base of groups with an interest in disability public policy. This is a defined project: to plan, promote, outreach and execute a one-day forum with major party candidates before the November 2018 election. We invite you to consider what role you may be able to play.

Who

We are inviting top-of-the-ballot D and R candidates. We project an audience of more than 300 people with disabilities, family, friends, advocates and media. There will be a modest registration fee for attendees, which will cover admission, on-site parking & lunch. The state’s leading political publication, the Texas Tribune, is our media partner and will use their network to promote the Forum.

What

This will be a forum, not a debate, with candidates addressing their position on issues of interest to the community of people with disabilities, families, friends and advocates. The Texas Tribune will provide an independent moderator. This will be a one-day event.

Where

The Forum will be in Austin. The AT&T Education & Conference Center is just north of the Capitol, on the edge of the University of Texas. The live stream is for real-time viewing anywhere.

When

August 27, 2018, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. Lunch provided!

Why

The 2018 elections are critically important. Both on the federal and state levels, voters are becoming more energized.