Michigan Disability Empowerment Conference 2025
Rewriting the Rules: Disability Leadership for a New Era
Friday, October 24, 2025
University of Michigan | Dearborn, Fairlane Center South
About the Conference
Registration Deadline:September 15, 2025
Hosted by Dream Dearborn and Humanities 101, the Michigan Disability Empowerment Conference invites advocates, educators, innovators, professionals, and individuals with lived experience to submit presentation proposals for our inaugural event, held on the campus of Henry Ford College.
This one-day gathering will amplify disabled voices, showcase inclusive solutions, and build bridges across sectors to promote equity and accessibility throughout Michigan.
Key Goals
- Humanize and center the lived experiences of disabled and neurodivergent Michiganders
- Explore affordable housing, accessibility innovations, and inclusive economic practices
- Share replicable micro-accommodations and strategies for inclusive education, employment, and living
- Create a vibrant resource exchange between individuals, institutions, and grassroots groups
(Not Limited To)
Suggested Topics
- Eliminating sub-minimum wages and advancing employment equity
- Affordable, integrated housing solutions
- Accessible tourism and recreation
- Civic engagement for disabled voters and residents
- Academic and grassroots approaches to micro-accommodations
- Cultural humility in disability services
- Innovation through intersectional disability justice (race, gender, class, language access)
- Neurodivergent approaches to leadership, wellness, and community care
Important Dates
- Proposal Deadline: July 1, 2025
- Notification of Acceptance: July 15, 2025
- Presenter Confirmation Deadline: August 15, 2025
- Registration Deadline: September 15, 2025
Together, we are shaping a future where disability is recognized not as a deficit — but as a dynamic, vital part of human diversity.
We look forward to building it with you.