Fireside Chat with Ben Mattlin, Disability Activist and Author
NASW-CA Virtual Workshop
DisAbilities Council: Fireside Chat with Ben Mattlin, Disability Activist and Author
Date & Time: Friday, May 30, 2025, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM PT
Location: Virtual Event
Cost: Free CEUS: 1
REGISTER
Join the NASW-CA DisAbilities Council as we engage in conversation with Ben Mattlin, discussing his upcoming book, UNBOUND: Notes from a Reluctant Disability Activist, out on June 24th from Blair. Ben Mattlin will be sharing a bit about his life’s journey, what he has learned about disabilities from a sociopolitical viewpoint, and what it means to be an activist or ally.
Attendees will have the opportunity to win a free copy of Ben’s new book in a raffle at the end of the event!
Course Description: Ben Mattlin will be discussing his upcoming book, UNBOUND: Notes from a Reluctant Disability Activist, out on June 24th from Blair. He will be sharing a bit about his life’s journey, what he has learned about disabilities from a sociopolitical viewpoint, and what it means to be an activist and ally.
Course Outline:
- A partially accessible introduction.
- Central themes to discuss.
- Some uncomfortable conversations related to disability rights/justice.
- How disability issues & language have changed.
- How perspectives on disability change as we age.
- What remains to be done.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will gain a nuanced understanding of what it’s like to live with a disability in an often inaccessible world.
- Participants will learn about “disability rights” and “disability justice” and how to be an activist.
About the Presenter:
Ben Mattlin is a Los Angeles-based senior writer for Financial Advisor magazine and the author of three previous books related to living with a disability—Disability Pride: Dispatches from a Post-ADA World (Beacon Press: 2022); In Sickness and In Health: Love, Disability, and a Quest to Understand the Perils and Pleasures of Interabled Romance (Beacon Press: 2018); and Miracle Boy Grows Up: How the Disability Rights Revolution Saved My Sanity (Skyhorse: 2012). His work has appeared in Time magazine, the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Newsweek, CNN.com, Self, New Mobility, and on NPR’s “Morning Edition.” Other credits include the Mark Taper Forum, Blonde and Brunette Productions, and the children's television program Biker Mice from Mars. (A complete list and links to clips can be found at BenMattlin.com.) Born in New York City in 1962 with spinal muscular atrophy, he graduated from Harvard College in 1984 and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife of more than 35 years. They have two adult children, a cat, and a turtle.
This event is free to attend! Earn 1 CEU
Chapter Event Policy:
NASW-CA is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), nationality, level of experience or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment of program participants in any form, nor do we tolerate behavior that would reasonably lead to another participant being made to feel unsafe, insecure, or frightened for their physical or emotional well-being. All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience. Program participants, vendors, and stakeholders violating these rules may be expelled from the program without a refund at the discretion of the conference organizers. By registering, you are agreeing to follow the code of conduct at NASW-CA events.
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