Advocates for Justice and Education is excited to invite families, youth advocates, providers, educators, and other community partners to register for the 2026 Health Policy Camp, taking place July 13–25, 2026. This two-week hybrid experience will bring together caregivers, youth with disabilities, healthcare and education professionals, and community advocates to strengthen leadership, deepen policy knowledge, and advance disability justice across Washington, DC.

Registration is free and open to all! We are committed to creating an accessible and inclusive experience for all participants. Please indicate any accommodations needed, such as language interpretation, ASL services, mobility accommodations, or other accessibility supports, by Monday, July 6, 2026. Please note that each event has its own registration link, and participants must register separately for every session they plan to attend. You can also click on the event name to view the flyer.

Event 1: Building Advocacy Power: Political Determinants of Health and Multi-Generational Leadership
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Time: 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Zoom
Format: Virtual Panel
How do policies and systems shape health outcomes? This intergenerational conversation explores how housing, transportation, education, and public policy influence health outcomes across DC, while highlighting how youth, caregivers, and community leaders can work together to advance health equity and disability justice.
Register here! Short Link: tr.ee/HPCDay1

Event 2: Navigating Education and Healthcare Systems: Protecting Access, Attendance, and Student Success
Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026
Time: 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Zoom
Format: Virtual Workshop
Families often navigate both healthcare and education systems simultaneously. This session helps participants understand IEPs, school accommodations, attendance policies, and strategies to ensure that children with disabilities receive coordinated, family-centered supports that improve both educational and health outcomes.
Register here! Short Link: tr.ee/HPCDay2

Event 3: Youth Safety, Security, and Thriving: Reimagining the Transition to Adulthood
Date: Friday, July 17, 2026
Time: 2:00–4:00 PM
Location: 401-A Conference Room, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Format: In-Person Panel with Hybrid Participation Available
This intergenerational discussion explores what young people need to transition successfully into adulthood, including mental health supports, professional development, employment opportunities, housing stability, and community safety. Together, participants will envision pathways that promote dignity, opportunity, and well-being for all youth.
Register here! Short Link: tr.ee/HPCDay3

Event 4: Stories That Move Us: An Advocate Angels Production and Community Conversation
Date: Monday, July 20, 2026
Time: 5:00–7:00 PM
Location: To Be Determined
Format: In-Person Showcase
Experience Advocate Angels, an original youth-led production written and directed by Whitney Not Houston, an AJE Youth Advisory Board member, that brings special education advocacy to life through creativity and storytelling. Following the performance, join a community conversation on wealth-building and expanding opportunities for families across DC.
Register here! Short Link: tr.ee/HPCPlay

Event 5: From Policy to Power: Understanding Change and Influencing Decisions
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Time: 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Zoom
Format: Virtual Panel
Policies and budgets shape nearly every aspect of daily life. Participants will learn how local public policy decisions impact disability communities and explore practical advocacy strategies, including effective narrative development, coalition-building, and engaging elected officials.
Register here! Short Link: tr.ee/HPCDay5

Event 6: Family Action Plans: Turning Advocacy into Action
Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Time: 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Zoom
Format: Virtual Workshop
Advocacy is more effective when families have a clear plan of action. This hands-on workshop helps families identify priorities, develop advocacy goals, organize records and other key information, understand important steps to take for successful system navigation and translate lived experiences into meaningful advocacy strategies that strengthen leadership across generations in the home and drive positive social change.
Register here! Short Link: tr.ee/HPCDay6

Event 7: Together We Thrive: Family Well-Being, Community Power, and Collective Action
Date: Saturday, July 25, 2026
Time: 12:00–2:00 PM
Location: 609 H St NE, Washington, DC 20002
Format: In-Person Parent Café
This in-person Parent Café creates space for families to reflect, connect, and build collective solutions for stronger communities through promoting the 5 protective factors. Through structured dialogue grounded in health equity and disability justice, participants will explore how advocacy and mutual support help families thrive.
Register here! Short Link: tr.ee/HPCDay7

We hope you can attend most, if not all, of the sessions of the Camp experience designed to enhance community knowledge-building and skills sharing, build relationships across systems and between generations, and strengthen our collective efforts to create a more equitable and inclusive future for DC children, youth, and families in all 8 wards.

Join us for the 2026 Health Policy Camp and become part of a growing movement for health justice, family leadership, and community change! For inquiries, email advocacy@aje-dc.org