From Pillars of Oppression to Murals of Activism:
​Envisioning a Movement of Collective Liberation
​(Keynote Address)
Friday, June 1, 2018 
10am -  10:45am

From Pillars of Oppression to Murals of Activism: ​Envisioning a Movement of Collective Liberation 
This empowerment keynote brings participants face to face with disability and cultural identity as we forge and project a renewed image of empowerment and liberation into the awareness of who we are as Latinx with disabilities. The keynote explores themes surrounding cultural ableism while generating thoughts around what cultural liberation would look like through a lens of disability justice. Why must we translate ourselves into empowerment? We must do so because, otherwise, the world will continue to see us as “broken”. We do it because we want to narrate our own stories, in our own language and in our own voices. We do it because our identity as disabled people, as disabled Latinx depends upon our ability to project ourselves from a position of power, from a position of pride. We translate ourselves because not everybody speaks or understands Disabled Latinx… the language of our experience of living in our brown disabled bodies, existing in a culture, that, for the most part, renders us invisible. Participants will be invited to explore themes surrounding language of empowerment, advocacy and collective liberation, and the power we are able to project upon recognition of our strengths and the lessons we choose to carry forward as we translate ourselves into our own versions of liberation…our own versions of empowerment. 
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Maria R. Palacios
MARIA R. PALACIOS is a feminist Latinx, writer, poet, author, spoken word performer, professional presenter, workshop facilitator, polio survivor, mother, and disability activist whose message of empowerment pulsates and breathes through her work. Maria's work has been featured in anthologies, articles, audio interviews and other multimedia publications. Known in the artistic world as  The Goddess on Wheels, her multicultural background and passion for onstage performance have come to life through various events over the years.   Maria is the author of several volumes of disability themed poetry, various empowerment journals, and a book of empowerment affirmations for for people with disabilities called “Unapologetically Me”.

Her work embraces self-acceptance, empowerment of women with disabilities, gender and sexuality, disability justice and a wide spectrum of issues as they relate to diversity.  Maria R. Palacios is the founder of the National Women With Disabilities Empowerment Forum formerly known as the Women With Disabilities Empowerment Fair which Maria has been bringing to the Houston community since 2010.    www.nwwdef.org