2018 Joining hands symposium Highlights

The Joining Hands Symposium in July 2018 brought together over 100 attendees and presenters who are passionate about access to international exchange. The in-person event in Washington, D.C. was attended by a diverse group of international exchange alumni with disabilities, disability rights leaders, international educators and exchange professionals, U.S. Department of State staff, volunteer-sending programs, and others who are passionate about enhancing disability access in the broad range of international exchange opportunities and citizen diplomacy.

Attendee comments

“The spirit of the symposium was so affirmative and life-reinforcing - we all felt welcome and included and engaged.”

“I felt like for the first time I was in the room with all the people I needed to talk to. PLEASE do this event again!”

“The event was a great mix of practical, informative resources/knowledge and personal narratives/experiences -- to me, it struck the perfect balance.”

Photos

For more 2018 Symposium photos with image descriptions, view on Flickr.

agenda At-a-Glance

8:30am - 9:00am | Registration & Check-In

Light breakfast provided

9:00am - 9:20am | Welcome

Mobility International USA
Rick Ruth, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of State

9:20am-10:20am |

Introduction to the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange
#ImpactExchange Talks - Alumni presenters

10:30am - 11:45am | Concurrent Sessions 1

Collaboration to Make Exchange Happen!
Lean on Me: Working with Support Providers Abroad

11:45am - 1:00pm | Lunch

On your own (local eateries list provided)

1:15pm - 2:30pm | Concurrent Sessions 2

Advocating for Access
The Power of Challenge by Choice

2:30pm - 2:45pm | Break

Refreshments provided

2:45pm - 4:00pm | Concurrent Sessions 3

Access Exchange! International Opportunities and Connecting with the Clearinghouse
"Enlighten Us!" Talks

4:00pm - 4:30pm | Next Steps and Closing

Ann Cody, Special Advisor, U.S. Department of State

4:30pm - 6:30pm | Reception

Hors d'oeuvres and beverages provided
Professional Networking Meetup, 5 pm - 6:30 pm

Detailed Agenda

#ImpactExchange Alumni Presenters (View slides)

To get our day started, in TED Talks fashion, three individuals with disabilities will reflect on their personal experiences participating in and engaging others in international exchange. From Seattle to South Africa or DC to India...there is no shortage of #ImpactExchange moments to share.

Alex Stone, The Amandla Project
Michelle Morris, Howard University International Programs
Stephanie Collins, Human Rights Watch

Collaboration to Make Exchange Happen! (View slides)

It takes many stakeholders to ensure that international exchange is successful in engaging and including people with disabilities to the U.S. and from the U.S. This may include exchange program staff, program partners, disability-related resources and service providers, host institution staff, community leaders, parents, and of course, the disabled participants themselves! In this session, presenters will share their experiences collaborating with multiple stakeholders, including how to delegate roles and responsibilities.

Irene Scott, Texas A&M University Study Abroad
Leigh Fickling, Duke University Disability Management System
Sarah Amin, Cultural Vistas
Michael Alijewicz, ISEP

Lean on Me: Working with Support Providers Abroad (Link to Resources)

To access international exchange, some people with disabilities may require ASL interpreters, personal care assistants, sighted guides, personal advocates, and other human aides. Presenters will discuss how to determine whether such a service will be needed; how to find a service person to go abroad; clarifying expectations and boundaries; pitfalls to avoid, and more.

Jill Grana, IREX
Becca Auger, CIEE
Michelle Morris, Howard University International Programs

Advocating for Access

This session will present an overview of the ADA and other disability-related policies and how they impact international exchange programs and participants. Presenters will also share strategies and tactics for advocating for people with disabilities to participate in international exchange when facing resistance from colleagues, legal counsel, and others, as well as sharing the increased benefits these strategies bring to the program itself.

Michael Schwartz, Syracuse University College of Law
Susan Henderson, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

The Power of Challenge by Choice

Part of any international exchange experience is learning to adapt to new situations. People with disabilities have the right to choose adventure and risk, and to find their own ways to contend with difficult conditions. In this session, presenters will explore this concept of “challenge by choice” as it applies to people with disabilities going abroad as well as international visitors or students coming to the United States. They will consider the unique benefits of disability-focused programs as well as traditional/mainstream programs as well as themes that impact the exchange experience such as identity, independence, host location, group dynamics, and more.

Dorothy Mora, EducationUSA (View Notes)
Michael Smallis, School for International Training (SIT)
Justice Shorter, SIT Graduate Institute alum
Andrea Crommett, SIT

Access Exchange! International Opportunities and Connecting with the Clearinghouse (View slides)

This is a very practical session on the “what” and “how” of international exchange opportunities, from Fulbright to Peace Corps. Find out about international exchange programs and scholarships, and what these programs are doing to be inclusive. And learn about the resources and services provided by the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) to support programs and participants with disabilities every step of the way.

David Levin, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Allen Neece, Peace Corps
Michael Saffle, IIE-administered programs
Justin Harford, Mobility International USA, National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange

"Enlighten Us!" Talks

Modeled after Ignite Talks, presenters from diverse fields and experiences will deliver back-to-back mini-presentations on a variety of topics that relate to the participation of people with disabilities in international exchange.

Alex Stone, The Amandla Project: "Traveling Abroad with a Service Dog"
Annie Tulkin, Accessible College: "Arranging disability-related accommodations" (View slides)
Juanita Lillie, Abroad with Disabilities: "Accessible Everything"
Judy Donner, Global Ties U.S.: "Tips for Arranging Accessible Hotels for Exchange Visitors"
Juanita Lillie, Abroad with Disabilities: "Tips for Designing an Inclusive Exchange Program"

Professional Networking Meetup

People with disabilities are needed in international careers! Following the Joining Hands Symposium, this evening meetup is an opportunity to start making connections to find jobs, internships, and mentors in the fields of international exchange and/or international development. Come talk to representatives from international-focused organizations to find out about their work and what kinds of job, internship and volunteer opportunities are available. Remember to bring your business cards so you can follow up with new contacts!

Presenter Bios

Opening Presenter Spotlight: Rick Ruth

Rick Ruth serves as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. In this capacity, he advises on all aspects of international exchange policy, programs and management. He established the Department's first global alumni network, spearheaded cultural heritage as a key component of foreign policy, and originated the first high school exchange for the Arab and Muslim world.

Rick is also a former Foreign Service Officer who served abroad in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Soviet Union.

Closing Presenter Spotlight: Ann Cody

Ann Cody is a Special Advisor and leads the International Disability Rights team in the Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the U.S. Department of State.

Ann is a widely known and respected as a leader in disability and human rights, having led national and international disability advocacy campaigns. She is also a Paralympic gold medalist who has worked to promote the rights of people with disabilities through sport globally.

Alumni Presenter Spotlight: Michelle Morris

Michelle Morris is an international educator and global citizen who has studied, worked and volunteered in over 10 different countries across Europe and Asia. In her role as a Program Assistant at Howard University's Bunche International Affairs Center, she shares her passion for making international engagement equally accessible for everyone.

The Gallaudet University alum is fluent in American Sign Language and knowledgeable in the sign languages of Korea, China, Indonesia, Germany and India.

Alumni Presenter Spotlight: Alex Stone

Alex Stone is the founder of The Amandla Project and the Philanthropic Giving Officer for Summit Assistance Dogs. While an undergraduate student, Alex and his service dog, Fraser, completed a five-month internship in South Africa for the Secretariat of the African Decade Persons with Disabilities (now called The African Disability Alliance). Alex, who was born with cerebral palsy, credits his travel experiences with shaping the course of his life. He holds a master's degree in International Education from the School for International Training (SIT) Graduate Institute and is dedicated to increasing the representation of disabled students in the pursuit of educational opportunities abroad.

Alumni Presenter Spotlight: Stephanie Collins

Stephanie Collins graduated from the University of Oregon in 2017. While at the UO, she interned with a Danish electronics company in Shanghai, China; studied Chinese with the U.S. Department of State-sponsored Critical Language Scholarship in Dalian, China; and studied abroad at the University of Oxford’s Keble College in England. Along with studying abroad herself, she also worked to bring other students to the U.S. while interning with MIUSA and WorldChicago, where she worked with international youth exchange groups from Iraq, England, Madagascar, and Cote d’Ivoire among other countries. Now, she works with Human Rights Watch in New York advocating on behalf of people with disabilities around the world.

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