ILY-LO PAST EVENTS
JANUARY 2021
• Thursday, January 14 at 3:00 PM EST – Accessible Yoga, A Class for All Abilities This rejuvenating seated yoga class is designed to be accessible to all, no matter what your ability level or yoga experience. You will learn that many yoga poses can be done while seated in a chair, while participating in this refreshing and meditative adaptive yoga class. The class will be taught by Ryan McGraw. Ryan approaches every class with the belief that everyone can do yoga. As a person with cerebral palsy who has been practicing yoga for 15 years, Ryan is well aware that yoga poses can be adapted to meet the needs of the student, no matter their ability level. Ryan earned his 200-hour yoga teaching certificate in 2011 and has completed two adaptive yoga teacher trainings with Matthew Sanford. Ryan received his Master’s Degree in Disability and Human Development from the University of Illinois at Chicago, in 2013. For his Master’s Thesis Ryan created an adapted yoga manual for people with disabilities. He has written about his yoga experience in “Yoga and Body Image”, a collection of essays from people who are not the average yoga practitioner, and recently published an article in “Yoga International” on why it is essential to teach accessible yoga in 200 hours of teacher training courses. Ryan is the Healthcare Community Organizer at Access Living in Chicago, where he advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of society. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85203699195?pwd=NjRLNDAvUmkraWprcDl4VWxoaytBQT09
• Wednesday, January 20 at 6:00 PM EST – We will watch “What is Mental Health” from the Voices for Choices video series. Then guests David Oaks and Al Galves will engage us in a discussion. David W. Oaks, co-founder and former Executive Director of Mind Freedom International, has been a psychiatric survivor, human rights activist, since 1976. David is also on the Board of Directors of the United States International Council on Disability and Oregon Consumer/Survivor Coalition. Al Galves, PhD, has been fighting biopsychiatry and advocating for safe, humane, life-enhancing approaches to helping people who are experiencing emotional distress, life crises, difficult dilemmas, spiritual emergencies and terror. You must pre-register to participate.•
Wednesday, January 27 at 3:00 PM EST – Movie: Murderball – a 2005 American documentary film about athletes who are physically disabled who play wheelchair rugby. It centers on the rivalry between the Canadian and U.S. teams leading up to the 2004 Paralympic Games.
Wednesday, January 27 at 6:00 PM EST – Repeat presentation of “What is Mental Illness/What is Not?” – by popular demand David W. Oaks and Al Galves will continue the discussion with new point of view. You must pre-register to participate.
•Thursday, January 28 at 3 PM EST – Dance Who Ever You Are, Where Ever You Are with Jess Martin (they/them/their), Choreographer, Dancer, Public Speaker – Join us for a loosely structured dance class, a fun experience moving to music. Elaine Kolb, singer/songwriter, will kick things off with her original: THE SONG OF LIFE, which feels like a square dance number. Then, for about an hour, Jess will guide us through a series of exercises and free-form dance moves, which can be adapted for individual bodies. A variety of styles of music will be provided. Then, there will be about a half hour of questions & comments. For more information, please email Jess at jlmartin02@comcast.net. Facebook: Explore With Me. Jessica-Jess Martin is a dancer, choreographer, public speaker, producer, and writer. They have been a lifelong dancer, but became a professional dancer in 2011, when they choreographed their first piece called, “Flying Friends” for MOMENTA DanceCompany located in Oak, Park, Illinois.
MI-ADA EVENTS
July 23, 2:00-3:00 pm ET. Pre-Event Workshop
Mi-ADA announces that Dr. Margarita Gurri, PhD, CSP, aka Dr. Red Shoe, has generously agreed to train our presenters and support teams on the use of Zoom for presentation.
Week 1
Sunday July 26 | 2:00 PM Welcome Orientation to the event. Welcome by Senator Gary Peters and Senator Debbie Stabenow. Beneficiaries of the ADA speak to each of its titles. A remembrance of John Lewis. Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein commemorates lives lost from COVID-19 , including his childhood friend, Congressman Isaac Robinson 3:00 PM ADA 30 Launching the Team Biden Disability Coalition (not an official MI-ADA event) | |
Monday July 27 | 11:00 AM What’s in Your Toolbox? How the ADA works.How to find and use resources. How to build and grow your toolbox. How to have the ADA, the CILs, the community, people with disabilities, and most importantly yourself create and live your highest quality life that you choose by using your own “Life’s Tool Box”. Carolyn Grawi, CIL of Northwest Florida 2:00 PM Zoom Refresher Mike Bray, Associate Director for Dissemination and Technology at the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute (MI-DDI) at Wayne State University in Detroit 3:00 PM On 30th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act, Detroiters Ask If Disabled Black Lives Matter Demonstration to demand an end to qualified immunity and to ask that after 30 years the ADA finally be enforced to the fullest extent possible. Spirit of Detroit, Jefferson and Woodward. (Not an MI–ADA organized activity) | |
Tuesday July 28 | 2:00 PM Disability Culture and Performance Petra Kuppers, author of Gut Botany: using performance and poetry as disability culture methods. In this hour-long session, Petra will introduce viewers to her creative practice as a disability culture artist and a poet. Enjoy listening to a few poems from Gut Botany, a Made in Michigan poetry book from Wayne State University | |
Wednesday July 29 | 3:00 PM Voting Rights Access Learn about your rights, what to do if you are denied your rights, and the history of voting rights denied. 4:00 PM Voter Accessibility! Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson will discuss ongoing work to expand access and ensure the voting rights of people with disabilities with Pat Cannon, former director of the Michigan Commission for the Blind. Please submit questions in advance by call In questions to: Bilal Hammoud- Public Engagement Associate 517-331-3729. Email questions to: Secretary@Michigan.gov In the Subject line ADA30 by 4PM Monday | |
Thursday July 30 | 11:00 AM -12:30 PM Danceability DanceAbility movement improvisation can be high-energy or slow and gentle, so come as you are. This class is for people with and without disabilities, with and without formal dance training, to collaborate and create dynamic dance together. Led by Cara Graninger provided by Detroit Disability Power. Request class link from Cara. ASL only provided by request. Continues until August 20. 2:00 PM Not Dead Yet: The Fight for our Lives Our lives are worth living. Diane Coleman, Anita Cameron, and John Kelly. 7:00 PM What Is Disability Studies? How and why it started, what’s changed, what the future holds, and why you might want to be a part of it. Devva Kasnitz, Society for Disability Studies. | |
Friday July 31 | 2:00 PM Supported Decision Making. The ruling in Olmstead vs. LC furthered the scope of the ADA, however the promise conferred cannot be realized if people with disabilities do not have access to the support they need to lead self-determined lives and make their own decisions. John McCarty & Dana Lloyd, The Georgia Advocacy Office. . | |
Saturday August 1 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM SING-A-LONG Concert with Elaine Kolb, Disability rights in word and song. Enjoy a bit of our musical history. |
Week 2
Sunday August 2 | 2:00 PM Film – Intelligent Lives Talk back led by Micah Fialka-Feldman and his family. | |
Monday August 3 | 2:00 PM Save the Last Dance for me : the Lived Experence of Disability thru Music Anthony Tusler. | |
Tuesday August 4 | 2:00 PM Create a Mural with Daniel Cascardo. Want to be part of an exciting collective art project? Join Daniel Cascardo, mural artist, for an engaging dive into his whimsical, brightly colored symbolic art featuring fantastic creatures and uninhibited imagination. He will introduce to you his mural art, his method, and begin a project with you. Download a section of an art to alter, color and make your own. Send your finished work back by August 6th via email. It will be combined with others’ work to form a community mural. Then join us to see the BIG REVEAL August 11th at 2:00. | |
Wednesday August 5 | 2:00 PM ADA Title 1: Managing Your Health Condition thru Workplace Accommodations Learn to ask for the right accommodation that meet your unique needs. Sheryl Ellis is the author of Making It Work: Managing Your Health Condition Through ADA Workplace Accommodations | |
PARENT’S DAY!! Thursday August 6 | 11:00 AM -12:30 PM Danceability DanceAbility movement improvisation can be high-energy or slow and gentle, so come as you are. This class is for people with and without disabilities, with and without formal dance training, to collaborate and create dynamic dance together. Led by Cara Graninger provided by Detroit Disability Power. Request class link from Cara. ASL only provided by request. Continues until August 20. 2:00 PM Rising Strong: Tools to Raise a Proud, Strong Person with a Disability Grounded in years of experience working as a career counselor at UC Berkeley, working primarily with students with disabilities, Meriah distills and presents best practices for parents of kids with disabilities. This workshop will give you the tools you need to help empower your child/adult with a disability and help you help them to discover the proud, empowered person that they are. 7:00 PM Panel Discussion: Disability Activism and Parents of Children with Disabilities Disability rights organizations often cast parents as adversaries: overprotective and clueless about how to best advocate for their children’s rights in a society that marginalizes the disabled. Pamela Block, Allison Carey, and Richard Scotch. | |
Friday August 7 | 2:00 PM Service Animals – Navigating Access to Work, Education, Healthcare, Housing, Transportation, Public and Private Services Identify the differences between what a service animal is, as defined by the law and others (companion, emotional support). Amy Maes, Oakland Macomb Disability Network. | |
Saturday August 8 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Virtual Dance with DJ Nakia |
Week 3
Sunday August 9 | 11:00 AM Wheelchair Zoom-ba Dance Cardio with Cheryl Angelelli. Get link at danceability@yahoo.com (Event not created by MI-ADA) 2:00 PM Film- Piss on Pity: the Story of ADAPT Piss on Pity explores the power of a grassroots, disability rights network called ADAPT that is working to create a barrier-free, inclusive society. This first documentary, We We Will Ride, traces the origins and early history of ADAPT. Roustabout Media. Running time: 62 minutes. Talkback with producers Peters Grosz and Virginia Keller. | |
Monday August 10 | 2:00 PM Ableism Ableism is like racism, hurtful, prejudicial stereotypes of people with disabilities by people both with and without disabilities. Michelle Nario-Redmond | |
Tuesday August 11 | 2:00 PM The Big Reveal! The art of Daniel Cascardo and You! (Part 2) POSTPONDED 2:o0 PM Disabled Athletes talk about their sport, adaptive sports, and resources Cheryl Angelelli, and Anthony Ianni | |
Wednesday August 12 | 2:00 PM Title III: Public Accommodations What are the requirements for private businesses? What do I do if I have a complaint? Learn the basics of accessibility and how to support improvements in your community. Terri Robbins – Disability Network of Mid-Michigan, National ADA Trainer Leadership Network | |
Thursday August 13 | 11:00 AM -12:30 PM Danceability DanceAbility movement improvisation can be high-energy or slow and gentle, so come as you are. This class is for people with and without disabilities, with and without formal dance training, to collaborate and create dynamic dance together. Led by Cara Graninger provided by Detroit Disability Power. Request class link from Cara. ASL only provided by request. Continues until August 20. 7:00 PM What is Disability Justice? How is justice different from rights? How does disability justice include people that the traditional disability movement marginalized? Lydia X. Z. Brown | |
Friday August 14 | 2:00 PM ADA Title 11: State & Local Government What are the general non-discrimination requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applying to state and local governments? Peter Berg, Great Lakes ADA Ct & Brad Hastings, Disability Network W. Michigan | |
Saturday August 15 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Comedians with Disabilities Act Nina G, Mean Dave, & Michael Beers Guest artists: Jade Theriault and John Howard. Adult Content – Over 18 Only |
Week 4
Sunday August 16 | 2:00 PM Film- Best Boy 1979 film by Ira Wohl. | |
Monday August 17 | 2:00 PM Stories from It’s Our Story Scott Cooper brings us first person stories from It’s Our Story, of, by and for people with disabilities, which chronicles the diverse experiences of people with disabilities, and give our community collective voice. | |
Tuesday August 18 | 2:00 PM My Dearest Friends Project Jill Vyn and Chris Smit of DisArt, bring us a sample of the stories of over 260 Disabled community members, artists, activists, advocates, and academics who have contributed to the project that archives Disability culture, as our community is deemed disposable in the pandemic. | |
Wednesday August 19 | 2:00 PM What is Disability Culture? “People with disabilities share a common history of oppression and a common bond of resilience. We generate art, music, literature… We claim our disabilities with pride as part of our identity. We are who we are, we are people with disabilities.” Steve Brown, Institute on Disabilty Culture, author of Movie Stars and Sensuous Scars. ” | |
Thursday August 20 | 11:00 AM -12:30 PM Danceability DanceAbility movement improvisation can be high-energy or slow and gentle, so come as you are. This class is for people with and without disabilities, with and without formal dance training, to collaborate and create dynamic dance together. Led by Cara Graninger provided by Detroit Disability Power. Request class link from Cara. ASL only provided by request. Last Day! 2:00 PM Self-Determination What is it? Why is it important? How do you accomplish it? Michael Murray 7:00 PM Translating Mental Health Across Language and Gender Kayley Whalen | |
Friday August 21 | 2:00 PM Disability Activism in Colonial America Disabled people were systematically persecuted in early America. How did we get shut from life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and how did we fight back for equality? Laurel Daen. | |
Saturday August 22 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Virtual Dance |
Week 5
Sunday August 23 | 2:00 PM Film- TBA | |
Monday August 24 | 2:00 PM Tom Olin, Photojournalist of the disability movement | |
Tuesday August 25 | 2:00 – 3:30 PM Educating Disabled Children Part 1 Understanding the IEP Process We will introduce the basic key parts of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students with disabilities and learn how the IEP Process is a logical series of steps that builds a foundation for decision making and addressing student needs. Part 2 ” …And How Are the Children?” Shifting the Paradigm of Educating Exceptional Learners by promoting Social Justice & Advocacy Lohren Nzoma, Senior Executive Director, Detroit Public Schools Community District, Exceptional Student Education | |
Wednesday August 26 | 2:00 PM A Short History of Progressive Art Studios for Adults with Disabilities A progressive studio is a widely used term to describe art studios for adults with disabilities that help participants build careers as contemporary artists. Progressive studios do not teach art using the classical art school model, but rather encourage individual creative expression and self-fulfillment by supporting intuition and material exploration unique to each individual. There are some 60 such studios across the United States and many more around the world. Slides and discussion. Anthony Marcellini | |
Thursday August 27 Deaf Pride Day! | 2:00 PM Deaf History and Technology Jaipreet Virdi, deaf from the age of four, shows us how medicine and popular culture have framed hearing loss through history, and how evolving technology affects deaf people’s experiences. She is the author of the newly published book, Hearing Happiness: Deafness Cures in History. 7:00 PM Deaf Advocacy in the Mitten Today The Michigan Deaf Association is celebrating the ADA 30th Celebration by hosting a self advocacy discussion, featuring leaders and advocates from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. We will talk about what steps to take when you think your rights are violated, and advocacy resources you can connect with in Michigan. | |
Friday August 28 | 2:00 PM Building Strong Networks and Accomplishing your Dreams Olegario “Ollie” Cantos VII has been a disability rights leader and activist for more than 30 years. He’ll share his time-tested and proven experiences in building networks. These techniques can help bring people together at all levels, delivering impact. | |
Saturday August 29 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Mental Health Comedy Hour Kristee Ono and Wonder Dave |
Week 6
Sunday August 30 | 2:00 PM Film- My Girl Story Come watch a feature-length documentary, My Girl Story, followed up by a talkback with the filmmaker, Tameka Citchen-Spruce and other women of color with disabilities, Angel Miles, Heather Watkins, Hala Alazzawi, and Reyna Garcia. This event will explore the challenges of girls and women dealng with mental health and other types of disabilities. My Girl Story documentary is about two African American girls born in Detroit and their quest to become the young women they want to be. | |
Monday August 31 | 2:00 PM Disabled and Black in America, history and activism. Leroy Moore and Jane Dunhamn. | |
Tuesday September 1 | 2:00 PM Folk Music Drop-in Concert Listen and join in for a virtual concert featuring some of our community’s most creative troubadours. Peter Leidy, Johnny Crescendo, Davids Rovics, Elaine Kolb and others | |
Wednesday September 2 | 2:00 PM Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living TBA | |
Thursday September 3 | 2:00 PM True Inclusion is Revolutionary: Disability Inclusive & Accessible Organizing Practices sm Learn how Detroit Disability Power is mobilizing Detroit’s disability community to fight for inclusion, rights, and respect, alongside and included with mainstream activists and protesters fighting for justice. Dessa Cosma, Detroit Disability Power 7PM Coercive Treatment & Care Shain M. Neumeier will be talking about the contexts in which various parts of the disabled community experience involuntary medical or mental health treatment. This will include talking about reasons behind, history of, and specific examples of coercive care. Also discussed will be the harmful effects of and alternatives to coercive treatment | |
Saturday September 5 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Virtual Dance DJ Dave, David DeWit Taylor |
Week 7
Sunday September 6 | 2:00 PM FILM Film Preview Disposable Humanity The session is a screening of part of new feature-length documentary titled, Disposable Humanity. The film explores the historical events regarding the systematic extermination of 300,000+ disabled people housed in German, Austrian, and Polish psychiatric institutions. Ongoing efforts to commemorate the victims of Aktion T4 have been surfacing in Germany for at least 3 decades and the film focuses on what disability memorialization tells us about attitudes toward disabled people today. David T. Mitchell, director and Cameron Snyder-Mitchell, filmmaker will do a talkback after the preview. | |
Monday September 7 | 2:00 PM Intersectionality between the Transgender Community and the Disability Community Our communities have so much in common. and many of us are in both. How do we support each other and make us stronger. Victoria M. Rodríguez-Roldán | |
Tuesday September 8 | 2:00 PM Poetry Jam Dropping in: Maria Palacios, Laurie Lambeth, Kenny Fries (by video) and others | |
Wednesday September 9 | 2:00 PM The ADA at Work in Legal Education 2020 Harvard law student graduate will share how the ADA shaped his legal education. Disabilities do not prevent you from achieving your dreams. Jeremy Wertz, National Disabled Student Law Association (NDLSA) | |
Thursday September 10 | 2:00 PM The Olmstead Act City of Detroit, Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity. June Adams., Chief of Staff for the City of Detroit Law Department. 7:00 PM ADA and Transportation Michael Patten, ADA Coordinator SMART bus | |
Friday September 11 | 2:00 PM COVID-19 Self-Care: Using Music and the Arts to cope Music is pervasive in our society, and impacts the physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual aspects of our lives. Jody Conradi Stark, Creative Arts Therapies. | |
Week 8 Sunday September 13 2:00 PM FILM Preview Disposable Humanity The session is a screening of part of new feature-length documentary titled, Disposable Humanity. The film explores the historical events regarding the systematic extermination of 300,000+ disabled people housed in German, Austrian, and Polish psychiatric institutions. Ongoing efforts to commemorate the victims of Aktion T4 have been surfacing in Germany for at least 3 decades and the film focuses on what disability memorialization tells us about attitudes toward disabled people today. David T. Mitchell, director and Cameron Snyder-Mitchell, filmmaker will do a talkback after the preview Monday September 14 2:00 PM ABLE Accounts – Establish Wealth w/ a Disability SSI penalizes people with disabilities from acquiring wealth. Learn about ABLE accounts and change your life. Gordon Fuller Tuesday September 15 2:00 PM Complex Adaptive Technology Chet Kuskowski Thursday September 17 2:00 PM Michael Harris, Michigan Paralyzed Veterans TBA Friday September 18 2:00 PM Stutterer Interrupted: The comedian Who Almost Didn’t Happen! Author & comedian Nina G with Jessica Justice. Saturday September 19 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Quiz Night with Cassie Simmons ADA Quiz Night with Deaf comedian Cassie Simmons. BYOB Win prizes! The Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living will run the quiz 7-8PM. Cassie will perform 8-8:45 PM Prizes awarded at 8:45 PM Week 9 Monday September 21 2:00 PM The City of Detroit Announcement of New ADA Coordinator and their plans to engage the disability community. Tuesday September 22 2:00 PM Criminal Justice and people with IDD Loren Glover Wednesday September 23 2:00 PM Veterans and Music Therapy Thursday September 24 2:00 PM Sex & Disability Barbara Hill & Kim Austin-Baker Friday September 25 2:00 PM TBA Saturday September 26 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Virtual Dance and Send-off Is this the end or the beginning? Dance and give feedback via chat. Sunday September 27 2-5 PM Come Celebrate the End of MI-ADA and th beginning of I Love You, Lead On! | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Virtual Dance |