On July 16, 2026, I led the development of Disability Rights California’s Disability Pride Los Angeles Community Gathering, bringing together approximately 90 community members, advocates, partners, supporters, and staff.

Hosted at DRC’s Downtown Los Angeles office, the gathering was designed as an accessible, flexible space for connection, conversation, and shared purpose—bringing together people committed to advancing disability rights, equity, access, and inclusion.

An important part of the strategy was extending that intention to our community partnerships. Los Angeles-based social enterprises Special Flavours, Mychal’s Learning Place, and ShemeshFarms contributed goods to the gathering, highlighting organizations creating opportunities for people with disabilities while strengthening their communities.

What stood out was what happened between the planned moments: conversations started, ideas were exchanged, new relationships formed, and people who may not otherwise have crossed paths found one another.

Convenings can be more than events. Designed intentionally, they can become tools for relationship-building, network development, and future collaboration.

Community does not happen by accident. Sometimes meaningful progress begins when we create the conditions for people to find one another.