This spring, the Coelho Center partnered with colleagues across Loyola Marymount University to host the second annual Disability Studies and Advocacy in Los Angeles (DSALA) Conference, bringing together faculty, students, scholars, advocates, technology makers, and community leaders from across the country. Centered on the theme "AI, Ethics, and Social Justice for People with Disabilities," the conference explored how emerging technologies can advance accessibility while also challenging participants to confront issues of bias, equity, and disability justice. Highlights included an inspiring keynote by internationally recognized disability scholar Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, interdisciplinary panels on advocacy, artificial intelligence, and lived experience, student research presentations, and workshops that fostered dialogue across disciplines. The conference reflects the Coelho Center's ongoing commitment to advancing disability scholarship, cultivating future leaders, and building partnerships that promote a more just, inclusive, and accessible society.
