African American Conference on Disabilities: 14 Years of Collaboration
On June 13, 2025, the African American Conference on Disabilities (AACD), took place at Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix. Hosted by Disability Rights Arizona, the conference explores opportunities for self-advocacy to ensure the upholding of civil rights and the effective provision of services and resources in the African American and disability communities. This year marked the fourteenth annual conference, gathering over 400 attendees from across the United States.
This year, the conference had a number of new events and resources for participants. Governor Katie Hobbs joined for the conference’s closing session. Participants enjoyed new and expanded topic areas for presentations, and the conference offered free screenings for prostate cancer.
The Sonoran Center coordinated the health screenings room and sponsored a mental/behavioral health track through a partnership with Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council for the Crisis Response and Trauma Informed Care project. This included 4 sessions, two of which were completed by staff and Community Advisory Council members. The Center also presented an exhibitor table with resources freely available.
Sonoran Center Director Jacy Farkas, along with Community Systems Change Liaison Barbara Brent and David Taylor of Community Drive, Inc., facilitated a workshop titled ‘Crisis and Behavioral Health: Making a Plan and Accessing Support, Learning from Each Other’.
The Sonoran Center’s Celina Urquidez and Lynne Tomasa also delivered a presentation, titled ‘Designing a Trauma-Informed Curriculum: Focus on Safety, Empowerment, and Application’.
Regarding the conference as a whole, attendees said AACD 2025 was:
“ …very helpful to networking with other agencies and business worthy parallel Mission and Vision to serve and advocate for Disabled Communities.”
“Incredibly enlightening!”
“Very well organized, dynamic sessions and speakers, very valuable information.”
The Sonoran Center has been part of the planning committee from the first conference, and is a principal sponsor. As well as serving on the planning committee, each year the Center dedicates staff to assist with the conference’s marketing and communications, the satisfaction evaluation, and accessibility of all the conference sessions' PowerPoint decks.