National Forum on Disability Issues
featuring
The 2008 Presidential Candidates (invited)

July 26, 2008
Columbus, Ohio

About the Forum

The National Forum on Disability Issues, featuring the 2008 Presidential Candidates (invited) is a historic, nonpartisan forum on national disability policy to be held on July 26, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio at Veterans Memorial. The venue allows us to welcome over a thousand Americans with disabilities and their friends and family (registration required) to attend the event and to commemorate the 18th anniversary of our civil rights law, the Americans with Disabilities Act. The forum will feature time slots for the presidential candidates to individually present their visions for the future of disability policy in America followed by questions from the audience, asked through a moderator.

This presidential candidates forum builds on the success of our November primary-focused forum in New Hampshire, where the disability community made history with its first-ever disability presidential candidates forum with participation from seven presidential candidates, five of them in person.

Forum Sponsors

Hosting Sponsors ($1,500 level)

1. ACCSES
2. ADAPT
3. American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
4. American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
5. Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)
6. Buckeye Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America
7. Disability Rights Montana
8. Epilepsy Foundation
9. National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
10. National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA)
11. Nisonger Center of the Ohio State University
12. Ohio Disability Vote Coalition
13. Ohio Olmstead Task Force
14. Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE)
15. The Arc of the United States
16. United Cerebral Palsy (UCP)
17. United Spinal Association
18. VSA arts

Supporting Sponsors ($500 level)

19. American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)
20. Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
21. Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD)
22. Easter Seals of Ohio
23. National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer / Survivor Organizations
24. National Disability Rights Center (NDRN)
25. United Cerebral Palsy of Central Ohio
26. Yoshiko Dart

Media Sponsors

27. Ability Magazine
28. Able Newspaper
29. NewsTalk 610 WTVN radio

Becoming a Sponsor

We welcome you to become a part of disability history by becoming a sponsor of this event. Your organization can sponsor the forum at either the hosting level ($1,500) or at the supporting level ($500). Organizations will be listed with their logos in promotional and program materials at their respective sponsorship levels.

To become a sponsor, please send the following items to Anne Sommers at AAPD by Friday, May 30 (DEADLINE EXTENDED):

1. A written commitment from your organization, noting the level of sponsorship you will be providing
   
   
2. An organizational logo (high-resolution or pdf)
   
   
3. Checks must be received by Wednesday, May 30, 2008, should be made payable to Ohio Disability Vote Coalition - Presidential Forum, and should be sent to:
   
   The Ohio Disability Vote Coalition
   c/o The Ability Center of Greater Toledo
   5605 Monroe St., Sylvania Ohio, 43560
   Attention: Kim Shankleton

Attending the Event

Veterans Memorial in Columbus, Ohio will accommodate large numbers of attendees, but registration is required. As we near the date of the forum, more information on how individuals can register to attend this event will become available. Please visit this site periodically for updates or subscribe to JFA email for all the latest on this event. Please note that there will be a $5.00 parking fee for those planning on driving to the event and plan accordingly. Thank you!

Forum Poster

Download a flyer and publicize the event in your organization and community.