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The Power of
1.5 - Political Autism Conference
Washington, DC
April 21 - 23, 2004
In April 2004 in Washington, DC Unlocking Autism, together with
Cure Autism
Now, GRACE Foundation of New York, The Dan Marino Foundation,
The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism and Talk Autism,
will host an energetic Political
Autism Conference (PAC). This conference is designed to equip
parents and
advocates from across the country by giving them the necessary
tools and education to bring about political change for the
issues of autism. The objective is to review the political
process at the national level so that attendees can go
back to their states and hometowns with confidence to affect
change at a local
level.
We have always believed that there is great power in this
community in our
grass roots that is simply unharnessed. During a year as
politically important
as 2004 will be, we believe this is a terrific opportunity for
all of us to
shine and lead the whole autism community in a loud ground swell
to let our
political officials know that we have a huge voting block that
is a force to be
reckoned with now.
On Wednesday, April 21st attend the "Kick Off" event with a
Rally and Press
Conference that will take place at 3:00 on the Mall. During
this time our Open
Your Eyes picture boards, which will be approximately five
football fields in
length, will be on display.
Immediately following the Rally and Press Conference, The Dan
Marino
Foundation and The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism will
be hosting a "Kick Off" Reception at the Capitol. VIP seating
at the Press Conference and Rally and admittance to the "Kick
Off" Reception will be exclusive to Members of
Congress, Conference Sponsors and Conference Attendees.
Thursday and Friday speakers will address our basic political
system and how
it works, current and upcoming national legislation, do's and
don'ts for
working with Congress, tips on writing and lobbying a bill,
establishing an
effective and lasting working relationship with congressional
leaders and their
staff, how to hook a story in the media, how to shape your
child's educational
program now for the adult that they will become and what you can
do once you get back home.
The conference will focus on two pressing current Federal level
issues:
Education and Funding for Research.
Delegates will learn how to make politics work for the community
in the
morning sessions and then carry that knowledge with them to
Capitol Hill in the
afternoon. On both Thursday and Friday, attendees will canvas
Capitol Hill
meeting with the offices of Members of Congress from their
state.
The conference will seat a maximum of 500 people. The
conference will be
open to 10 delegates per state.
By dividing the conference evenly by state, our hope is also
that each state
will develop a strong network of parents that will receive the
tools they need
to make change within their communities, state and nation on an
ongoing
basis. Ten people in every state asking for the same exact thing
from every
congressman and senator on the same day, all presenting the same
literature is a powerful thing for the autism community.
AGAIN, ONLY 10 DELEGATES FROM EACH STATE WILL BE ACCEPTED ON A
FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU NOT
DELAY REGISTERING IF YOU WANT TO BE GUARANTEED A SEAT. IF YOU
ARE NOTIFIED THAT YOUR STATE IS FULL, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO BE
WAITLISTED AND WILL BE NOTIFIED OF SEATING AFTER FEBRUARY 15,
2004. GENERAL SEATING WILL BE OPENED ON FEBRUARY 16, 2004, FOR
ANY REMAINING SEATS AT STATES TABLES WHO ARE NOT FULL.
The conference will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Crystal
City, VA.
This is a beautiful, full service hotel with many amenities
including an indoor
swimming pool for families to enjoy, restaurants, and dance club
with a full,
clear view of DC and its monuments, a beautiful Ball Room our
conference will
take place in and an incredible room rate of only $99 for
conference
participants. It is located 2 blocks from a metro station and
across from the Pentagon Mall. To reserve your room call
866-999-VIEW OR DIRECTLY at 703-416-4000 and tell them you are
with Unlocking Autism.
Conference Registration is only $275 and includes exclusive
admittance to the
"Kick Off" Reception, Conference attendance, Breakfast and Lunch
on Thursday
and Friday, an official Political Autism Conference T-shirt and
all the materials and tools you will need to carry out the
mission and goals set before you.
Be a leader. Do something. Make it happen.
ACT! If you
don't, who will?
To register for
the conference, visit our website at
www.unlockingautism.org
We look forward to
big things for the whole autism community in 2004 and to seeing
you in DC!
...Unlocking Autism
SPEAKERS AND TOPICS INCLUDE:
Beth Clay, President, BC & A International, "Do's And
Don'ts on the Hill"
Bill Davis, UA Pennsylvania State Rep, "There is Safety
in Numbers!"
Barbara Loe Fisher, President, NVIC - "Focusing Your
Grass Roots Activity"
Joe Gambale, President, GRACE of NY, "Why me? Why Grass
Roots?"
Lisa Graham Keegan, President, Education Leaders Council,
"No Child Left
Behind???"
Julio Melara, - President, Time for Action, "The Journey
from Good to GREAT!"
Members of Republication National Committee and Democrat
National Committee
"Calling All Donkeys and Elephants to Rock the 2004 Vote"
Ron Oberlightner, Talk Autism, "Why TALK Autism??"
Shelley Reynolds, President, Unlocking Autism, "For those
about to ROCK, we
salute you!"
Jonathan Shestack, Vice-President & Treasurer, Cure
Autism Now,
"Reauthorization of the Children's Health Act means what?"
Stephen Shore, UA Board Member, "Shaping your child’s
education for
transition to adulthood"
Craig Snyder, Ikon Public Affairs, "Lobbying Do's and
Don'ts - What the
Federal Government Can Do and What the States Must."
Stuart Spielman, "GIMME A BREAK! Tax breaks for Parents
of Kids with Autism:"
and more.......
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