Accessibility for All Presidential Candidate Forum


– video –   

Saturday, November 2, 2019 at Ramada Hotel & Conference Center in Cedar Rapids, IA.

6 CANDIDATES: Booker, Buttigieg, Delaney, Klobuchar, O'Rourke, Sanders, Yang.

Background: "This Forum is an opportunity for people with disabilities, their family members, allies and advocates, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses to hear from candidates..."  Piggybacking off IDP's Liberty and Justice Celebration in Des Moines on Friday, the event drew six candidates.  The event was livestreamed Facebook and taped by Des Moines Register.  "We reached people across the country," stated organizer Catherine Crist.
afanow.org




Accessibility for All
Catherine Crist
October 29, 2019


Saturday, November 2nd, 2019
  10:00 - 5:00 (Doors Open at 9:00)
  Ramada Hotel and Conference Center
  525 33rd Ave SW, Cedar Rapids

Accessibility for All to Hold Historic Democratic Presidential Candidate Forum – Focused on People with Disabilities and Health Care

Co - Host Linn County Medical Society (LCMS) in Cedar Rapids

This Forum is an opportunity for people with disabilities, their family members, allies and advocates, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses to hear from candidates regarding their positions on employment, housing, climate change, education and health care as they answer questions posed by the disability and medical communities.  The day will start off with an opportunity to speak directly with state and local legislators and candidates about what concerns voters. Candidates will appear sequentially to answer questions generated by the disability and health care communities followed by an opportunity to meet and mingle. Forum Moderators are: Catherine Crist, EdM, SPHR, Chair of Accessibility for All and Dr. Cindy Hanawalt, MD PhD, Immediate Past President of LCMS. Senator Tom Harkin (retired), principal author of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 with be the Keynote Speaker.  ASL and CART will be provided. Other reasonable accommodations may be requested during the registration process by completing the request for accommodation form.

Advanced registration is required:
 https://afanow.org/2019-accessibility-inclusion-and-outreach-conference/
The following presidential candidates have confirmed their attendance and participation:
Senator Cory Booker
Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Mr. John Delaney
Senator Chris Dodd (retired) for VP Joe Biden
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Rep Beto O’Rourke
Senator Bernie Sanders
Mr. Andrew Yang

Questions for the public may be directed to:  AIOConference2019@gmail.com
Members of the media please RSVP to https://forms.gle/z88vqmdQx3HezwMW7

What:  The Democratic Presidential Candidate Forum
When:  Saturday, Nov 2nd 10:00 – 5:00 (Doors Open at 9:00 am)
Where:  Ramada Hotel and Conference Center, Cedar Rapids
Who: Democratic Presidential Candidates, State Legislators, Candidates, Local Elected Officials and candidates, US Congressional Reps and candidates and US Senate Candidates
Format: 30 Minutes Moderated Q & A followed by Meet and Mingle time
10:00 – 11:00    Legislative Forum
11:00 – 11:45    Presidential Candidate Forum
11:45 -  12:45    Keynote and lunch
12:45 – 5:00        Presidential Candidate Forum Continues
5:00 – 6:00        Reception



Agenda for Nov. 2, 2019
(as of Oct. 31, 2019)

9:00 - 10:00 Doors Open

10:00 - 11:00  Legislative Forum

11:00 - 11:30  Sen Chris Dodd (retired) for VP Biden

11:30 - 11:45  Meet & Mingle

11:45 - 12:15  Keynote Address Senator Tom Harkin (retired)

12:15 - 12:30  Lunch and Q & A

12:30 -12:45  Meet & Mingle

1:00 - 1:30  Mr John Delaney

1:30 - 2:00  Former Rep Beto O'Rourke

2:00 - 2:15  Meet & Mingle
 
2:15 - 2:45  Senator Amy Klobuchar

2:45 - 3:15  Mayor Pete Buttigieg

3:15 - 3:45  Senator Cory Booker

3:45  - 4:00  Meet & Mingle

4:00 - 4:30  Senator Bernie Sanders

4:30 - 5:00  Mr. Andrew Yang

5:00 - 6:00  Reception with US Senate and Congressional Candidates

2.  Format.  There were several schedule changes in the past few days and as a result the Run of Show is more compressed then originally planned.  We are still hopeful we can stick to the following format:
 
30 Sec Intro - Given by Catherine
1 Minute Open - Given by the Candidate
25 - 28 Minutes  Q & A - Moderated by Catherine and Cindy
1 Minute Closing - Given by Candidate

15 Minute Meet and Mingle with the Candidate - this time may be split between before and after the Candidate Speaking time or a total of 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the Candidate Speaking time.

3.  Questions.  We are not providing the questions ahead of time.  They were generated by the Disability Community, The Linn County Medical Society Members, Members of the National Association of Democratic Disability Caucuses, the Iowa Democratic Disability Caucuses, and participants in the AIO Conference 2019.  These are the following topics:

Housing
Education
Employment
Climate Change
Health Care
Mental Health