Co-Hosting the 2018 Texas Disability Issues Forum
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Executive Summary
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.
…the potential is there for the disability community to become a powerful political constituency. Nearly 57 million Americans have a disability, making the group the country’s largest minority. Says Rutgers’ [Douglas] Kruse. “Because people with disabilities are not particularly aligned with one party or the other, both parties have incentives to get them out to vote. –Time.com 2/26/18
Next
The core organizers are proceeding with planning. All believe that a long, comprehensive list of co-hosts will strengthen the perception that the Disability Issues Forum has broad and deep support. In turn, this will help make the Forum a can’t-miss event for the candidates and media.
Tentative Forum Agenda
9 am Check in
9:30 am Welcome
10 am – 2 pm Candidates for Gov, Lt. Gov., Atty. General, U. S. Senate
Co-Host Benefits
- Acknowledgment with your logo, web url, etc. on materials and conference program
- Recognition in media releases
- Recognition on site at the conference
- Distribution of informational materials of your choice to conference attendees
Co-Host Responsibilities
- Outreach and promotion to your local community through your regular channels, including promotion of the live stream
- No planning responsibilities and no on-site responsibilities for your staff
- No financial contributions to Forum expenses requested—organizers will have responsibility for expenses.
Beyond TDIF
Use your Power after the Forum and become a REV UP Regional Partner! The goal of the REV UP campaign (Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power!) is to get more people with disabilities and our supporters registered and voting. REV UP Regional Partners carry out this work in their local communities, with support from the REV UP campaign. Contact Mark Cundall for more about REV UP Regional Partners at 602-818-3752 Mcundall8@gmail.com.
TDIF Contacts:
General & Co-Host Inquiries: Bob Kafka 512-442-0252 revuptx@gmail.com
Sponsor & Media Inquiries: Dennis Borel 512-478-3366 ext. 302 dborel@txdisabilities.org
Registration Help: Laura Perna 512-478-3366 ext. 305 lperna@txdisabilities.org
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