Presenters:  
Annie Kroll, Advocate, Jessica Clay, Advocate
Annie Kroll and Jessica Clay will share powerful and personal approaches to disability awareness, empathy, and representation, while also aiming to empower people with disabilities.

Annie will talk about her experience with autism and hereditary spastic paraplegia and link those experiences to her passion for advocacy. She will then use these experiences to introduce spoon theory to conference members. Spoon theory is a great way to help those without disabilities better understand and empathize with anyone with chronic fatigue and illness, while it also offers people with disabilities a useful tool to explain their energy levels and needs to others. Annie’s goals are to uplift disabled voices, spark conversation, and engage the audience with an interactive element demonstrating how spoon theory can be used to think about energy.

Jessica believes the best way to promote disability awareness is by sharing lived experiences. In this presentation, she will share her story as someone with Cerebral Palsy who uses a power wheelchair, highlighting her everyday life, education, dance, and ongoing advocacy. Her goal is to educate, challenge perceptions, and promote inclusion and equality. Jessica will also reflect on the history of disability rights and how being born in 1996 shaped her opportunities. With degrees in Performing Arts, Political Science, and Disability Studies, she understands that both physical and societal barriers exist. Through this presentation, she hopes to encourage others to share their own stories as a powerful tool for change.

Presenter:  
Abigail Ridge, California Commission on Disability Access
‍An overview of the California Commission on Disability Access (CCDA), a state agency dedicated to fostering collaboration and dialogue between the disability and business communities, as well as various levels of government to promote accessibility in places of public accommodations. Participants will learn about the CCDA's role in assisting businesses in ensuring compliance with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by providing resources, educational materials, and data on construction-related access violations. The session will also explore key trends, including the "Top Ten Violations List" and issues related to High Frequency Litigation (HFL) in construction-related access claims, as well as how CCDA collaborates with the Division of the State Architect (DSA) to raise awareness of the municipality's allocation of the "Accessibility Compliance Fund." Attendees will gain insights into how CCDA promotes accessibility compliance and its efforts to make California more inclusive for all.

Presenter:  
Solomon Yigzaw, AccessEd Solutions
Learn a range of essential topics to understand Deafness, Deaf Culture and how to make any environment accessible for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Deaf Plus, Late Deafened and Deaf Blind individuals. And help the audience to create an accessible, supportive and equitable working environment for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Deaf Plus and Late Deafened and Deaf Blind individuals. Also, during the presentation, Solomon will encourage open dialogue and questions, creating a space for audiences to share their own experience of working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Deaf Plus and Late Deafened and Deaf Blind individuals.

Presenters:  
Matt Baker, California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities Brianna Martin, California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities Steven Auclair, California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities
Join us for an inspiring session on the California Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) model, which empowers youth with disabilities by fostering self-advocacy and leadership skills in a peer support environment. With over 1,500 alumni, YLF has helped participants successfully transition into higher education, secure employment, become leaders at local, state, and national levels, and live independently within their communities. Through partnerships with local workforce agencies and community-based organizations, YLF continues to expand its reach, creating even more opportunities for youth leadership. In this workshop, you’ll discover our proven best practices, hear success stories, and learn how to engage youth with disabilities in a program that is deeply rooted in empowerment, self-determination, and Disability Pride.

Presenters:  
Justin Karbowski, Advocate
‍Systems often have gaps that become apparent to those navigating them. In healthcare, government services, and workplaces across California, many people face challenges that aren't always visible to the systems meant to support them. This session explores how individuals with lived experience navigating these systems can offer valuable insights for improvement. Drawing from personal experience with invisible illness and disability systems, this presentation suggests that marginalized populations often have unique perspectives on system design and function. Participants will learn about limitations in traditional approaches, how lived experience can inform innovation, and ways to view invisible disabilities as sources of insight rather than just challenges to overcome. The session aims to provide practical frameworks for identifying and addressing system barriers. This content may be relevant for policymakers, healthcare professionals, educators, and individuals with disabilities who are interested in systems improvement and advocacy approaches.