Seventh Conference on Faith, Deafness and Disabilities “Creating Communities; Access. Belong. Empower.”

7th Faith Deafness and Disability Conference

“Creating Communities; Access. Belong. Empower.”

This conference, unique in nature, brings together the faith community and those in working in public agencies to collaborate and explore ways we can ensure all people, regardless of disability are included as essential members of our communities.

Community and faith based workshops will be offered in English, Spanish, and ASL.

We invite you to explore the conference webpages to learn more about the conference, register to attend and share the information with others.

We recognize the 26+ years the ADA has helped us make our Church building ACCESSible, and so has supported persons who are Deaf or have a disability to BELONG within their parish Communities. Moving forward, we are excited to envision ways our Church can now EMPOWER persons who are Deaf and those with disabilities to share their many gifts within their own parishes and in their communities far beyond.

The Keynote Address will be given by Greg Hilbok

Theme: Self-Advocacy

Greg Hlibok took over the FCC's Disability Rights Office in 2010. Hlibok has been profoundly deaf since birth. After studying engineering, he later became the first deaf law student at Hofstra University and at the age of 43 has become the first chief of the office to have a disability. His job is to help put into place a law that requires digital technology creators to make their materials available to the blind and deaf. Hlibok is best known in the Deaf community as the student body president of Gallaudet University during the 1988 Deaf President Now protest. He holds a bachelors degree in government from Gallaudet University and a juris doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law.

Musical Performance by Christopher Duffley

Closing Mass will be at 4:00 pm Main Celebrant, Bishop Barry Knestout