COVID-19 has caused a lot to change this year including Access Living’s annual gala. To adjust to changing times and the need to keep our community safe, the gala has gone virtual this year and is FREE for the public to attend!
Meet the Emcee of #LeadOnLIVE:
“The basis of my career is to ensure communities of color with disabilities have a place and a space to be seen and heard.”
— Candace Coleman
We’re delighted to share that the host of #LeadOnLIVE, Access Living’s Gala Reimagined, is Access Living’s Racial Justice Community Organizer, Candace Coleman!
Candace has been with Access Living for almost 10 years. She started working to support our youth programs in college as part of a nine-month opportunity to gain skills on the job. Little did she know that before that time was up, she would be offered a full time position as a youth program coordinator. She then transitioned from youth work to racial justice work because the youth she was working with were growing up, and it made sense for her to continue to grow with them.
Candace organizes a group at Access Living called Advance Your Leadership Power (AYLP). The group focuses on racial justice issues and creating a space for the disability perspective in conversations surrounding race equity. “The basis of my career is to ensure communities of color with disabilities have a place and a space to be seen and heard,” she said.
When approached about hosting this year’s gala, Candace was honored.
“I said yes because the disability rights movement is and needs to look more diverse,” she said. “People of color are facing higher rates of disability, and the disparities we face are further magnified because of dual status.”
Speaking about the Lead On LIVE show she said: “We want people to feel welcome regardless of the familiarity with disability, to learn new things about our people and our movement. We have worked hard to acquire the rights we have, but we have a long way to go in getting where we need to be. We can’t do it without making everyone aware and getting everyone involved.”
Join us for Lead On LIVE to learn about all things Access Living at our reimagined virtual gala on November 18th at 7pm CST. RSVP today.