About this Event
Disability and Chill: ODSP, Advocacy and Community-Building
Join us for a free, day-long fun, educational and welcoming event for people with disabilities!
What to expect:
10:30-10:45 a.m.: Welcome and opening remarks
10:45-11:45 a.m.: ODSP Overpayments and How to Challenge them, presented by Hajar Tohme (LAW) and Amy Lavoie (WEBCLS).
11:50-1:15 p.m.: Ramping Up Resistance Panel Discussion: Hear from local advocates Sarah Bondy, Kevin McShan, Tina Szymczak, and Faith Turner about the issues that matter in our community — including accessibility, affordability, and what it means to live with disability/disabled pride in Windsor-Essex. We’ll talk about the challenges people are facing and ideas for creating change. Panel moderated by Evelina Baczewska (ALSO).
1:15-2:00 p.m.: Lunch provided by Good Hood and Antonino's Pizza
2:00-3:00 p.m.: Know Your Benefits, presented by ODSP Action Coalition reps Claudia Calabro (ISAC) and Andrea Hatala. This presentation was created by and for ODSP recipients and will go over all of the different benefits and policies that apply for ODSP recipients and their families.
3:00-3:30 p.m.: Hackforge and You: Join Windsor Hackforge's Managing Director Lauren Hedges for a look at how the organization is building a thriving community around accessible technology. Discover how they are supporting the development of accessibility-focused solutions, navigating the current landscape of accessible tech while creating inclusive ways for members to connect.
3:30-4:00 p.m.: Wrap up, more art-making, discussion about what we heard today
Throughout the day:
Art-making and community-building: Tap in to your creative energy and make a piece of art that will become part of a community-created tapestry reflecting the emotions and ideas of the day and of our broader hopes for disability justice in Windsor Essex.
Info booths for local resources and supports: Learn about organizations and services that support people with disabilities, including trustee information, transitioning off of OW/ODSP, info for young people transitioning from youth support programs to ODSP, and much more.
Information about the organizers and event sponsors:
This event is being hosted by the ODSP Action Coalition, Legal Assistance of Windsor (LAW), Windsor-Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic (WEBLC), ALSO, Family Services Windsor-Essex (FSWE), and the Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC).
We are grateful for support from Windsor Regional Employment Network (WREN), Art Windsor Essex (AWE), Antonino's Original Pizza, and the Groundswell Community Justice Fund.
This event is free and registration is not required but registering will help us with logistics and planning.
Event venue & nearby stays
Optimist Community Centre, 1075 Ypres Avenue, Windsor, Canada
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.