ACT State Self-Advocacy Conference

Flyer for the Disability Justice Jamboree 2025. Light green background with stars. Graphics of multiple body types present, they are celebrating.

The ACT State Self-Advocacy Conference, hosted in collaboration with our SAM Network, is Minnesota's largest Self-Advocacy conference, bringing over 400 self-advocates and allies together every other year.

Mark your calendars! The 2025 ACT Minnesota Self-Advocacy Conference will be held on November 17th-18th 2025 at the Delta Marriott Hotel in Northeast Minneapolis.

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Jump to: Awards, Workshops, Partners

Are you interested in attending the conference?

Click here to register

Award Nominations

There are so many ways to be a self-advocate and advocacy can appear in many different forms to everyone. With that in mind, we will be awarding THREE awards for advocates this year. Each will specialize in a different area of advocacy. There are descriptions below - if you would like more details on the awards click here. Submissions due October 17th!

The Irving Martin Self-Advocacy Award

The Irving Martin Self-Advocacy Award is presented to an individual self-advocate or a self-advocacy group who have shown outstanding commitment to advancing self-advocacy.

The Rick Cardenas Justice Award

The Rick Cardenas Justice Award recognizes a self-advocate who works fearlessly to advance disability rights and challenge injustice.

The Gloria Steinbring Leadership Award

The Gloria Steinbring Leadership Award honors a self-advocate or ally who leads with compassion, strength, and a commitment to building others up.

To vote nominate for the awards please use one of the following methods:

Black and white photo of Irving Martin. He has glasses and is wearing a formal button up and jacket.
Black and white photo of Rick Cardenas. He has glasses and a formal jacket, peering to the left of the frame.
Black and white photo of Gloria Steinbring. She is wearing a sweater with an intricate pattern and has her fist in the air.

Workshops

Are you passionate about disability justice, creativity, community safety, or tech-savvy self-advocacy? 
Do you have a story, skill, or strategy to share? 

We want YOU to help shape this year’s Disability Justice Jamboree—a statewide gathering of self-advocates, artists, educators, and change-makers working to build a more just and joyful future. 

Interested in hosting a workshop? Click here to download the form. Please email completed submissions to act@selfadvocacy.org. Submissions are due by October 3rd, 2025.

To vote nominate for the awards please use one of the following methods:

Person under a tent with a disability pride flag in her hair and a tie-dye shirt. She is seen handing a drawstring bag to someone out of frame.

Partners

Partnership Levels:
Intersectionality- $5,000

  • Logo on website, print and signage + 4 Registrations + Verbal recognition + Social Media Features

Collective Liberation - $2,500

  • Logo on Website and Program + 2 Registrations + Social media thank you post

Cross-Movement Organizing - $1,000

  • Name listed on program and website + 2 Registrations + Social Media Shoutout

Leadership Of Those Most Impacted - $500

  • Name recognition on website + Group thank-you post + 2 Registrations

Interdependence - $300

  • Name listed in digital program and recognition in community email + 2 Registrations

Interested in Partnering with ACT? Send an email to act@selfadvocacy.org


Please have submissions in by OCTOBER 17th!

Table listing the partnership levels for the conference. Rainbow colors are used for each of the tiers.