Young Adult Conference Speakers -
Saturday, April 25, 2026 (10:00AM-3:00PM)
Young Adults Ages 18 and older
Session 1: Self Advocacy and Self Determination: Empower Yourself and Your Future -
- In this session, we will discuss the importance of self-advocacy and how developing strong advocacy skills empowers individuals to achieve their post-secondary goals in the areas of living, learning and working
- Empowerment enables individuals to take control of their own lives by making informed decisions and standing up for themselves in various contexts, such as: Education, employment, healthcare, personal relationships and social interactions
- OBJECTIVE 1: Identify their assets, strengths, obstacles and needs using the "About Me" worksheet
- OBJECTIVE 2: Act out scenarios that will use their self-advocacy skills
- OBJECTIVE 3: Explore self-empowerment and motivation, examining how these concepts contribute to self-determination
- PRESENTER: HEATHER BLANCO - Heather has an Educational Specialist background with over 15 years of experience. She is the founder of the Best Skills for Life and her mission is to help individuals work towards their goals to be more independent, engaged, included and lifelong learners
Session 2: Your Technology, Your Power: Building Digital Independence and Safety -
- This is a 1 hour 45 minute interactive conference session designed for young adults ages 18+ with Down syndrome and other I/DD
- This strength-based session empowers young adults with Down syndrome and I/DD to use technology as a tool for independence, connection and real-life problem solving
- Participants learn practical online safety skills, including protecting personal information, recognizing red flags and asking for help when something doesn't feel right. The focus shifts technology from "just entertainment" to a support for communication, routines, connections, self-management skills and self-advocacy
- OBJECTIVE 1 - Digital Independence: Use technology as a life tool by identifying at least 3 ways they can use their phone or tablet for independence (e.g., communication, navigation, routines, reminders or asking for help)
- OBJECTIVE 2 - Digital Safety Awareness: Recognize safe vs. unsafe online situations by correctly identifying at least 3 examples of red flags related to messages, photos, requests or personal information
- OBJECTIVE 3 - Self-Advocacy and Support: Practice asking for help by naming at least 2 trusted people they can go to when something online feels confusing, uncomfortable or unsafe
- PRESENTER: LUCIA SERIO - Lucia has been a special education teacher, school psychologist and currently is a licensed Educational Psychologist. Lucia is a proud alumni of California State University, Los Angeles and is a part-time lecturer in the Charter College of Education's, Division of Special Education and Counseling
