Following on the heels of a successful parent advocacy leadership training in August 2012 and the overwhelming demand to participate, the AACLD is excited to announce that we will host an even larger symposium and training June 23-26, 2014.  The goal is to double the number of parent leaders as participants in order to significantly increase the number of families reached nationwide.  African American parent leaders from across the country will be selected from a growing pool of applicants to participate and receive the culturally syntonic training, which will strongly focus on the tools needed to assist families in disadvantaged communities.  These tools will include, but not be limited to, a newly revised and more comprehensive parent handbook, a training manual on special education, and toolkits for advocacy at all levels.

Training participants will be selected based on demonstrated leadership ability, access to families in targeted communities, and commitment to training parents to be effective advocates for their children in the struggle for academic success.  They will gain from expert presenters and trainers insight on the challenges facing African American children with learning differences and acquire the skills to assist and support parents in some of the most vulnerable neighborhoods in the country. Travel and hotel accommodations will be provided for all participants; however, they must be or become members of the AACLD.  

If you are a parent leader and would like to attend this precedent-setting event, click here to complete the online questionnaire.  Click here to access information about student, individual, non-profit, corporate, and lifetime memberships.

This event, What Every African American Parent Leader Needs to Know, will be held on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. 

"You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country's course."

President Barack Obama, Second Inaugural Speech - January 21, 2013

Michael Graham, Chair of the AACLD Parent Leadership Institute Advisory Commission, was honored this month as a White House "Champion of Change" for African American Education.  In conjunction with this event, Michael met with senior White House and U.S. Department of Education officials and his story is featured on The White House website.  Michael is the father of a 13-year-old daughter with Down syndrome who he has been tirelessly advocating for since their first interface with the school system at the age of 5.  She has been the catalyst in his fight for ALL students with special needs for more than 5 years.  His volunteer work, where he often assumes a leadership role, has led to advocacy involvement on the local (school district), state (Parent Training & Information Center), and federal (IDEA Partnership) levels as well as in the private sector (100 Black Men). Michael currently resides in Durham, North Carolina.