Elected for Inclusion–The Presidential Forum on Disability Issues

 
–  POSTPONED  – 
.
Monday, Jan. 13, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the AT&T Hotel and Convention Center in Austin, TX.

Background:  An earlier disability focused event, the "Accessibility for All Presidential Candidate Forum" in Cedar Rapids on Nov. 2 drew six candidates. 

This letter from the organizers explains the postponement:


Greetings and Happy New Year,

Due to the timing of the January democratic presidential candidate debate, the impeachment proceedings in the Senate, and other factors beyond the control of the organizers, Elected for Inclusion: A Presidential Forum on Disability Issues has been postponed. It will be rescheduled, and we are working with our partners to determine a new date as soon as possible.

 As we have worked on Elected for Inclusion, we have been deeply appreciative of the enthusiastic public response for this effort, including ticket sales, partnerships, and event volunteers. The 2020 election cycle has seen unprecedented levels of engagement on disability issues from Presidential candidates, with 8 candidates issuing detailed disability policy platforms and many completing the AAPD/NCIL Presidential Candidate Questionnaire on Disability Policies. However, with the announcement of the January democratic presidential candidate debate (January 14th) and the pending Senate impeachment hearing, and other factors, we realized that the Forum’s planned date and location - January 13th in Austin, Texas - would not allow for the level of direct candidate engagement that the disability community deserves nor would the date allow for a level of candidate engagement that reflects candidates’ commitment and interest in disability rights. Although we worked diligently with campaigns and community partners to manage these challenges and identify creative methods of engagement, with a little more than a week and a half before the event, AAPD and REV UP Texas had to make the difficult but necessary decision to postpone the forum. We continue to work with presidential campaigns and community partners to determine a new date.

We remain committed to the political empowerment of people with disabilities and elevating the power of the disability vote, and we appreciate your support and understanding as we work to establish a new plan for this important event. Building the power of the disability vote starts at the local and state levels, and the forum will reflect the growing influence of the disability community within the electorate.

For those who have already registered for the forum, your registration will be applied to the new conference date. Refunds are available but individuals are encouraged to await developments regarding rescheduling before making a refund request. We sincerely apologize for any issues that this postponement may cause. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you,


Maria Town
President and CEO
American Association of People with Disabilities
Bob Kafka
REV UP Texas

   



The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and REV UP Texas are proud to announce Elected for Inclusion, our national nonpartisan Presidential forum on disability issues. The forum will take place on January 13, 2020 at the AT&T Hotel and Convention Center in Austin, Texas in advance of Super Tuesday and the November 2020 elections.

Elected for Inclusion – the Presidential Forum on Disabilities Issues will place the pressing questions the disability community faces on center stage and give major party Presidential candidates an opportunity to discuss policy decisions that affect approximately 23% of the American electorate.

AAPD and REV UP Texas are hosting Elected for Inclusion as a means of highlighting the power of the disability vote. In 2020, over 35 million eligible voters will be people with disabilities. The number of “disability voters” increases to over 62 million when we consider the ripple effect of the disability vote that connects families, friends, advocates, educators, providers, and other individuals that interact with people with disabilities. 
 
For press inquiries: pressinquires@aapd.com.  
 
For general inquiries: elected4inclusion@aapd.com.  
 
Social media hashtags: #elected4inclusion #REVUP #CripTheVote
 
Tickets are on sale now for $10.