the advocacy monitor

Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

Uncategorized

Registration Now Open for NCIL’s 2020 Annual Conference!

Conference Logo: Evolution of our Revolution - 2020 Annual Conference on Independent Living. Graphic features a speech bubble and heart icon.

July 20 – August 7, 2020

Registration is now open for NCIL’s 2020 Annual Conference on Independent Living!

We are spreading our conference events out a bit to accommodate the realities of virtual events and participation from home. The week of July 20 will feature kick-off events and plenaries, followed by two weeks of additional workshops and other events.

We have significantly reduced the registration rates for this virtual conference. Despite cutting the rates, we’ve also increased the number of workshops and sessions we’re offering because we’re no longer constrained by the number of meeting rooms we have available at the hotel. That means more content for less money!

We have released the conference agenda and other details over the past week. We will be releasing the full workshop schedule and additional updates over the next few weeks.

NCIL remains fully committed to an event that is safe and accessible to all. We know there will be some access challenges to a virtual conference, just as there are access challenges to in-person conferences. We are already busy coordinating accommodations and support, and are ready to respond to your accommodation requests and feedback in order to hold the most accessible virtual conference possible. Accommodations can be requested when you register and you are always welcome to submit questions to [email protected].

All registrations received and paid by June 16, 2020 are eligible for the Early Bird registration rates.

[Read more…]

Memorandum: 2020 Regional Advocacy Awards

Each year, NCIL recognizes individuals and / or organizations for outstanding advocacy efforts. NCIL encourages you to nominate someone in your region who you believe is deserving of this award. Please take a few minutes to complete the nomination form by June 10, 2020.

Purpose of the NCIL regional advocacy award: To recognize individuals or groups / organizations within each region for outstanding systems advocacy efforts consistent with independent living goals and philosophy at a national, state, or local level.

[Read more…]

NCIL Mourns the Loss of Stacey Park

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the passing of activist and organizer Stacey Park. Stacey passed away from surgical complications on May 19, 2020, on her 33rd birthday.

Originally from North Carolina, Stacey served on the North Carolina Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) and was a former American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) intern. She was a fixture of disability activism in the Bay Area after moving there in 2010. A co-founder of the Disability Justice Culture Club, Stacey coordinated direct aid to disabled people and other marginalized groups during emergencies like the 2019 PG&E power shutoffs in the Bay Area and the current COVID-19 pandemic. Stacey’s activism was truly intersectional in nature, addressing overlapping systems of oppression and all facets of a human being, including disability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and immigration status. Her commitment to disability justice as a queer disabled woman of color was unparalleled.

[Read more…]

Memorandum: Call for Resolutions

NCIL Resolutions

The purpose of resolutions is for members to speak directly to what NCIL does and what NCIL stands for. A resolution, if adopted by the membership, is a formal opinion from NCIL or a commitment to taking action on a specific topic.

Resolutions must be received by June 24, 2020.

[Read more…]

Make Nominations for the NCIL Board of Directors by June 12, 2020!

May 21, 2020

Dear NCIL Members:

NCIL is planning to hold virtual elections for our Governing Board positions this year. We will be sending a ballot to all members next week that will allow NCIL to amend its Bylaws to permit virtual elections this year. Regardless of the election process, our Standard Operating Procedures require us to release our call for nominations this week. So please read below and consider nominations you may want to make for the open Board positions. We will be releasing more information about the Bylaw amendment, balloting, and election dates and procedures in the next few weeks.

NCIL members have an opportunity to nominate an individual to run for each of the following positions on the NCIL Board:

  • Vice President,
  • Secretary,
  • Diversity Committee Chair,
  • three Member-At-Large positions,
  • and Representatives of Regions II, IV, VI, VIII, and X (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10).

If you or someone you know would be interested in running for the NCIL Board, please fill out the nomination form.

Please carefully review the position descriptions and memorandum, as it will help in considering potential nominees. Also, make sure to share these resources with the individual you are nominating so that they have a clear understanding of what will be expected should they be elected.

Nomination Deadline: June 12, 2020.

[Read more…]

NCIL’s 2020 Annual Conference on Independent Living Will Be Virtual!

July 20 – August 7, 2020

It’s official – NCIL’s 2020 Annual Conference on Independent Living will be virtual! We’ve been working very hard behind the scenes to plan the event and we’re so excited to share the news with you. We certainly have much work to do together this summer and we will proceed with as much effort and intensity as if we were in Washington together!

We are spreading our conference events out a bit to accommodate the realities of virtual events and participation from home. The week of July 20th will feature the big kick-off events and plenaries, followed by two weeks of additional workshops and other events.

We are working hard on conference registration, the final schedule, and other details. We will be releasing additional updates over the next two weeks with all of the information you will need to register and get involved.

NCIL remains fully committed to an event that is safe and accessible to all. We know there will be some access challenges to a virtual conference, just as there are access challenges to in-person conferences. We are already busy coordinating accommodations and support, and are ready to respond to your accommodation requests and feedback to hold the most accessible virtual conference possible. Accommodations can be requested when you register and you are always welcome to submit questions to [email protected].

Conference Logo: Evolution of our Revolution - 2020 Annual Conference on Independent Living. Graphic features a speech bubble and heart icon.

NCIL Annual Conference Update

We would like to share a brief update on NCIL’s Annual Conference on Independent Living planning in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. NCIL’s Annual Conference Subcommittee and staff have been hard at work gathering information and resources according to our conference contingency plan. With our research and analysis nearly complete, NCIL’s Governing Board is planning to meet very soon to make key decisions about the format and timing of this year’s conference. We plan to make a more significant announcement very soon. We hope you find this update helpful and we welcome your questions anytime!

NCIL remains fully committed to an event that is safe and accessible to all. 

Conference Logo: Evolution of our Revolution - 2020 Annual Conference on Independent Living. Graphic features a speech bubble and heart icon.

Free Webinar: The 2020 Census Disability Count Continues

Tuesday, May 5, 2020; 2:00 p.m. Eastern

The 2020 Census deadlines have been extended due to COVID-19. What does this mean for the disability rights community? In this free webinar, speakers from the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), The Arc of the United States, and the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) will discuss:

  • The importance of the census and how it will impact the disability community
  • Changing deadlines and other adjustments made due to COVID-19
  • Ways you can engage with the census and outreach about the census in the months ahead.

At the end of the webinar, participants will fill out a menu of ways their organization will engage in the census, including how webinar participants can share the messages of #BeCounted, #DisabilityCounts2020, and others.

Read more about this free webinar and register online.

A Win for Many SSI Recipients: Automatic Economic Impact Payments!

Last week we sent an alert about the Economic Impact Payments in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. We noted that for many people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Veterans Affairs (VA) Disability Compensation or Veterans Pension, there was not a clear or easy process to receive economic impact payments. Commissioner Saul’s previous statement clarified that the Social Security Administration (SSA) was working with the Treasury Department to address questions regarding SSI recipients and other people who are not required to file taxes but do not receive SSA-1099s.

Yesterday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Treasury Department, and SSA announced that SSI recipients will automatically receive their payments. Payments will be received by the same method they usually receive their SSI benefits, and they should be received by early May. This is a big victory that will ensure millions of people can access much-needed payments to help during this crisis.

[Read more…]

CARES Act Signed Into Law

The President has signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (S. 3548) into law. The House passed the CARES Act on Friday after it was passed by the Senate on Wednesday. Read the final bill (PDF).

The CARES Act is a $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package. While the CARES Act did address some of the disability community’s needs, most of our priorities were not included. Disabled people are at disproportionate risk during this pandemic, and Congress must do more to ensure all future legislation addresses our needs.

[Read more…]