News

On June 5 to June 8, 2025, the AADMD “One Voice” conference was held in Phoenix, Arizona. AADMD (the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry) is a non-profit organization of interdisciplinary health professionals, including primary care physicians, medical specialists, dentists, nurses and other clinicians, committed to improving the quality of healthcare for people with intellectual / developmental disabilities (IDD).

From June 11 through June 14, 2025, the APSE (Association of People Supporting Employment First) Employment First, Employment for All conference took place in Washington, DC. Employment First professionals, including people with disabilities, service providers, universities, and rehabilitation counselors from across the United States gathered to advance Employment First’s mission of competitive, integrated employment for all. 

For medical services, like speech therapy, culturally and linguistically responsive services are necessary. The importance of inclusive speech therapy was highlighted for me when I attended the Bilingual Aphasia Talk, led Manuel Marte. In my experience as an Intern at Desert Lily Bilingual Speech Therapy Clinic in Southern Arizona, I’ve seen firsthand how language intersects with disability.

People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) have the same risks for cancer as the general population. However, they may experience worse cancer-related results. I was part of a research team led by Dr. Julie Armin, a professor at the department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona. Our team wanted to understand how state policies affect cancer experiences for those with IDD.

Francine is a 23-year-old woman who likes taekwondo and going to the gym. She has a great sense of humor and loves to make people smile. Like many people her age, she is considering the possibility of having children in the future. Francine also has Down Syndrome. The Sonoran Center’s Celina Urquidez and Jocelyn Watson sat down with Francine and her mother, Maria, to talk about how Francine is approaching one of life’s biggest decisions.

The Sonoran Center is proud to have been a part of the 2025 Self-Advocacy Conference. Taking place remotely on May 17, 2025, the conference was presented by the Southwest Institute for Families and Children with support from the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Council.

During the spring 2025 semester, my involvement in disability-focused programs like adaptive recreation, teen social groups, and inclusive camps has reshaped the way I view what meaningful support looks like for children and youth with developmental disabilities. These experiences have shown me how healing and transformative inclusive spaces can be, especially when they center joy, connection, and belonging.

On April 11 and 12, 2025, the 21st Annual American Indian Disability Summit and the 5th Annual Native Youth Disability Summit were held. The American Indian Disability Summit was held in person at the Desert Willow Conference Center in Phoenix, while the Native Youth summit was held virtually. Both summits provided an opportunity to network, share knowledge and skills, and address issues and challenges facing Native communities.

On April 2, 2025, the U of A’s Sonoran Center, Autistic and Neurodivergent Student Association (ANDSA), and Disability Cultural Center (DCC) held Neurodiversity Day. Taking place on the U of A mall, Neurodiversity Day was a chance for the community to celebrate neurodiversity, grow and share understanding of neurodiversity, and share helpful resources. 

During the Fall 2024 Semester, I had the opportunity to be an intern at the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities. I worked with a team to gather resources and make information available in an easily understandable format for people with IDD. Learning to write in plain language was a very valuable experience because it will help me become a better health care provider.