2026 Civil Rights Summit: We Have the Tools We Need: Full Schedule

In threatening times, none of our organizations can win alone. As challenges to our civil rights become increasingly broad, we find ourselves working in coalition with other organizations, grassroots groups, state officials, and lawmakers. What makes for a successful coalition? How can we work together to build effective structures of communication, strategy, and mutual accountability so that we can be successful and resilient in the face of austerity? Panelists will share what they have learned (and what they have had to unlearn) in order to build winning coalitions. We will identify tools to help us in various collaborative efforts, from basebuilding to legislative coalitions to implementation of the changes we win.

Speakers

Xusana Davis

Executive Director of Racial Equity, State of Vermont Office of Racial Equity

Xusana Davis [🕪 pronunciation] serves as the State of Vermont’s Executive Director of Racial Equity. She was appointed to the position in June 2019 by Governor Phil Scott. She works with state agencies to identify and address systemic racial disparities, ensure that equity goals and objectives are incorporated... Read More →

Jill Martin Diaz (they/them)

Burlington, VT, Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP)

executive director & managing attorney at vermont asylum assistance project (vaapvt.org)

Falko Schilling (he/him)

Advoacay Director, ACLU of Vermont

Falko Schilling joined the ACLU of Vermont as its first advocacy director in July 2019. He has been working to promote positive social change in Vermont since 2009. A native of Vermont, Falko received his law degree from Vermont Law School after attending Skidmore College. Prior to... Read More →

Friday September 25, 2026 9:35am - 10:45am EDT
1. Judd Hall

In Person

9:35am EDT

Coalitions of the Winning: Effective Cross-Sector Organizing for Civil Rights

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 9:35am - 10:45am EDT

6. Zoom Room 1

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Xusana Davis

Executive Director of Racial Equity, State of Vermont Office of Racial Equity

Jill Martin Diaz (they/them)

Burlington, VT, Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP)

executive director & managing attorney at vermont asylum assistance project (vaapvt.org)

Falko Schilling (he/him)

Advoacay Director, ACLU of Vermont

Friday September 25, 2026 9:35am - 10:45am EDT
6. Zoom Room 1 Virtual

Virtual, Track 2: Tools and Tactics for Community Power

11:00am EDT

Our Bodies, Our Rights: Equitable Healthcare Access in Vermont

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

1. Judd Hall

Limited Capacity seats available

What are the civil rights of the body? Any answer to this question must surely include the right to healthcare. This panel will explore the right to equitable healthcare access, and our right to expect that our bodies - no matter our class, our ability to pay, our gender identity, whether we use drugs, our ability, our race, our body type, or where in the state we live - will receive equitable care in Vermont. We will identify some of the barriers to access, and how Vermonters can work to bring them down.

Speakers

Cara Sachs

Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL)

Sarah Launderville

Executive Director, Vermont Center for Independent Living

Monica Allard (she/her)

Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU Vermont

Jess Kirby

Overdose Prevention Center Director, Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform

Friday September 25, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
1. Judd Hall

In Person, Track 1: Civil Rights Themes

11:00am EDT

Tenants' Rights Organizing Workshop

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

4. Conant 103

Limited Capacity seats available

Tenants' rights cases are one of the greatest unmet legal needs in our state. With a shortage of affordable legal help meaning many tenants are representing themselves or having their needs go unmet entirely, this workshop focuses on tenant organizing as a tool for building power.

Speakers

Matthew Shagam

MMS Legal Services

Kahlia Livingston

Kahlia Livingston is a Burlington, Vermont native currently working as the Fair Housing Project Education Coordinator with the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity. Kahlia is a UVM graduate with a bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology. Her past work includes... Read More →

Friday September 25, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
4. Conant 103

In Person, Track 1: Civil Rights Themes

11:00am EDT

Our Bodies, Our Rights: Equitable Healthcare Access in Vermont

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

6. Zoom Room 1

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Cara Sachs

Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL)

Sarah Launderville

Executive Director, Vermont Center for Independent Living

Monica Allard (she/her)

Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU Vermont

Jess Kirby

Overdose Prevention Center Director, Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform

Friday September 25, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
6. Zoom Room 1 Virtual

Virtual, Track 1: Civil Rights Themes

12:30pm EDT

Lunch

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT

1. Judd Hall

Limited Capacity seats available

Friday September 25, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
1. Judd Hall

In Person, Amenities and Networking

1:30pm EDT

Expanding Protections: Equal Rights in Vermont and What We Need to Ensure Them

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT

1. Judd Hall

Limited Capacity seats available

Much of the civil rights enforcement that the Human Rights Commission does in Vermont relies on our expanding list of Legally Protected Categories. These personal characteristics - race, gender identity, immigration status, disability, and many others - are part of the legal framework that makes discriminatory behavior unlawful. What is missing from that framework? Whose identity categories are not yet protected, and at what cost? What tools can we put in place to strengthen the civil rights enforcement we have, and ensure that the protections we're winning will stay strong for many years? This panel will walk us through the protections that exist, the ones that don't, and some of the strategies for bringing new protections to life.

Speakers

Big Hartman

Montpelier, VT, Executive Director and General Counsel

https://hrc.vermont.gov

Cary Brown

Executive Director, Vermont Commission on Women

Cary Brown is the Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women, an independent state agency dedicated to advancing rights and opportunities for women in Vermont. She’s worked in the field of gender equity for 30 years, in nonprofits, educational institutions, and government. She... Read More →

Emily Chamberlain Adams

Co-Director, Civil Rights Unit, Assistant Attorney General, Vermont Attorney General's Office

Emily Chamberlain Adams is an Assistant Attorney General and Co-Director of the Civil Rights Unit of the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. Emily’s work in the Civil Rights Unit focuses on employment discrimination enforcement, education, and litigation. In this role, she oversees... Read More →

Brenda Siegel

Executive Director, End Homelessness Vermont

Brenda Siegel is the Executive Director of End Homelessness Vermont, where she leads a lived experience driven approach to ending homelessness in the state. She is also a consultant on human services systems and policy, specializing in homelessness and housing, drug policy, and disability... Read More →

Friday September 25, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
1. Judd Hall

In Person, Track 2: Tools and Tactics for Community Power

1:30pm EDT

The Power of Persuasion for the Persuasion of the Powerful: Communications Tools to Influence Civil Rights

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT

2. Conant 102

Limited Capacity seats available

In this panel, ACLU Vermont will walk us through some of the tools at our disposal to influence the public conversation on civil rights in our state. These include crafting our personal stories for making pitches to legislators; how to have "deep canvassing" conversations with neighbors; and how to write effective letters to the editor.

Friday September 25, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
2. Conant 102

In Person, Track 2: Tools and Tactics for Community Power

1:30pm EDT

Expanding Protections: Equal Rights in Vermont and What We Need to Ensure Them

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT

6. Zoom Room 1

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Big Hartman

Montpelier, VT, Executive Director and General Counsel

https://hrc.vermont.gov

Cary Brown

Executive Director, Vermont Commission on Women

Emily Chamberlain Adams

Co-Director, Civil Rights Unit, Assistant Attorney General, Vermont Attorney General's Office

Brenda Siegel

Executive Director, End Homelessness Vermont

Friday September 25, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
6. Zoom Room 1 Virtual

Virtual, Track 2: Tools and Tactics for Community Power

1:30pm EDT

The Power of Persuasion for the Persuasion of the Powerful: Communications Tools to Influence Civil Rights

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT

7. Zoom Room 2

Limited Capacity seats available

Friday September 25, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
7. Zoom Room 2 Virtual

Virtual, Track 2: Tools and Tactics for Community Power

3:00pm EDT

Regional HRC Directors' Roundtable: State Commissions as an Avenue to Advance Civil Rights

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT

1. Judd Hall

Limited Capacity seats available

Did you know that other states have Human Rights Commissions too? Join us for this exciting roundtable featuring the directors of our HRC counterparts from Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. We'll talk about how other HRCs make their services known to the people who need them; how HRCs can address systemic problems and not only individual cases; and how we can use the Commission as a strategic tool in unprecedented times. Come prepared to ask questions, think creatively, and be inspired by what's possible.

Speakers

Michael Memmolo

Executive Director, Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination

Michael Memmolo is the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD). Mike was hired as Executive Director in July of 2024 having previously served the MCAD in the roles of Interim Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and Director... Read More →

Kit Thomson Crossman

Executive Director, Maine Human Rights Commission

Kit Thomson Crossman has worked at the Maine Human Rights Commission for 7 years. They started at the Commission as an investigator in early 2019, moved to Deputy Counsel in 2021, and were appointed Executive Director in 2023. They received their law degree from Northeastern University... Read More →

Tanya Hughes

Executive Director, Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities

Tanya Hughes is an attorney and public administrator serving as Executive Director of the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) since 2013. Beginning her career at CHRO as an investigator and staff attorney, she rose through the ranks to lead the agency's... Read More →

Big Hartman

Montpelier, VT, Executive Director and General Counsel

https://hrc.vermont.gov

Friday September 25, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
1. Judd Hall

In Person, Track 2: Tools and Tactics for Community Power

3:00pm EDT

The Kids All Have Rights: Disability Justice in the Classroom and Beyond

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT

2. Conant 102

Limited Capacity seats available

Among young Vermonters with disabilities, the student-to-mental-health-facility pipeline is a tragically common trajectory. It's also an unnecessary one. This panel will follow the life of a hypothetical child from early education to inpatient hospitalization, and identify the supports and interventions that could have led to a different outcome. Panelists will outline the scope of the problem and identify changes in Vermont that are necessary to protect our kids.

Speakers

Karen Price

Senior Director of Family Support - Education, Vermont Family Network

Lindsey St. Amour

Executive Director, Disability Rights Vermont

Lindsey St.Amour was born and raised in Vermont and has been committed to supporting people with disabilities since her youth, when she began volunteering to help students with disabilities learn to swim. That early experience sparked a lifelong passion, leading her to work as an... Read More →

Cammie Naylor

Staff Attorney, Disability Law Project, Vermont Legal Aid

Cammie M Naylor (she/her), MSW, Esq. is a Staff Attorney with the Disability Law Project at Vermont Legal Aid, Inc. She is a graduate of Clemson University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Vermont Law School. As a former children’s therapist, Cammie has long advocated for the... Read More →

Lauren Higbee

Deputy Advocate, Office of the Child, Youth and Family Advocate (OCYFA)

I joined the Office of the Child, Youth and Family Advocate (OCYFA) in June 2023 after working within the Residential Licensing and Special Investigations (RLSI) Unit at the Department for Children and Families’ (DCF) Family Services Division (FSD). My team licensed Residential... Read More →

Friday September 25, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
2. Conant 102

In Person, Track 1: Civil Rights Themes

3:00pm EDT

Regional HRC Directors' Roundtable: State Commissions as an Avenue to Advance Civil Rights

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT

6. Zoom Room 1

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Michael Memmolo

Executive Director, Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination

Kit Thomson Crossman

Executive Director, Maine Human Rights Commission

Tanya Hughes

Executive Director, Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities

Big Hartman

Montpelier, VT, Executive Director and General Counsel

https://hrc.vermont.gov

Friday September 25, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
6. Zoom Room 1 Virtual

Virtual, Track 2: Tools and Tactics for Community Power

3:00pm EDT

The Kids All Have Rights: Disability Justice in the Classroom and Beyond

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT

7. Zoom Room 2

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Karen Price

Senior Director of Family Support - Education, Vermont Family Network

Lindsey St. Amour

Executive Director, Disability Rights Vermont

Cammie Naylor

Staff Attorney, Disability Law Project, Vermont Legal Aid

Lauren Higbee

Deputy Advocate, Office of the Child, Youth and Family Advocate (OCYFA)

Friday September 25, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
7. Zoom Room 2 Virtual

Virtual, Track 1: Civil Rights Themes

4:30pm EDT

Session Confessions: An Advocate, an Organizer, and a Legislator Reveal What it Really Takes to Pass (or Kill) a Bill

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm EDT

1. Judd Hall

Limited Capacity seats available

Whether you are a layperson, a paid organizer, a grassroots activist, or a candidate, the People's House has room for you. This panel will bring together Vermonters from three different positions to walk us through the wild ride of legislative advocacy.
Attendees will learn about the annual cycle of the legislative session and the elements needed to successfully intervene in it. We'll talk about the various ways to approach and educate legislators, how to advocate for bills you like and weaken the bills you don't, and how to be strategic in communicating with elected officials. Panelists will discuss the role of decorum and gravitas, when to set them aside, and the weirdest things they have ever done to pass or kill a bill!

Speakers

Conor Casey

Vermont State Representative

Conor Casey is a Vermont State Representative, public affairs professional, nonprofit executive, and award-winning playwright. Since 2023, he has represented Montpelier in the Vermont House of Representatives, serving on the House Committee on Corrections and Institutions and the... Read More →

Falko Schilling (he/him)

Advoacay Director, ACLU of Vermont

Brenda Siegel

Executive Director, End Homelessness Vermont

Friday September 25, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm EDT
1. Judd Hall

In Person, Track 2: Tools and Tactics for Community Power

4:30pm EDT

Session Confessions: An Advocate, an Organizer, and a Legislator Reveal What it Really Takes to Pass (or Kill) a Bill

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm EDT

6. Zoom Room 1

Limited Capacity seats available

Whether you are a layperson, a paid organizer, a grassroots activist, or a candidate, the People's House has room for you. This panel will bring together Vermonters from three different positions to walk us through the wild ride of legislative advocacy. Attendees will learn about the annual cycle of the legislative session and the elements needed to successfully intervene in it. We'll talk about the various ways to approach and educate legislators, how to advocate for bills you like and weaken the bills you don't, and how to be strategic in communicating with elected officials. Panelists will discuss the role of decorum and gravitas, when to set them aside, and the weirdest things they have ever done to pass or kill a bill!

Speakers

Conor Casey

Vermont State Representative

Falko Schilling (he/him)

Advoacay Director, ACLU of Vermont

Brenda Siegel

Executive Director, End Homelessness Vermont

Friday September 25, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm EDT
6. Zoom Room 1 Virtual

Virtual, Track 2: Tools and Tactics for Community Power

6:00pm EDT

Civil Rights on Friday Nights: Networking, Snacks, and Cocktails

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT

5. Campus Center

Limited Capacity seats available

Join us after the last panel of the day to gather in the Campus Center for food, drinks, and networking! Vermont organizations will be tabling and offering information about their work and their services, and we'll have delicious small plates from Fox Market with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks courtesy of The Alchemist. It's a chance for us to get to know the people we've been sitting with and gather with colleagues and old friends as well.

Sponsors

Fox Market

the best gay grocery store in East Montpelier

The Alchemist Brewery

Executive Director, Alchemist Foundation

Friday September 25, 2026 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
5. Campus Center 124 Admin Dr.

In Person, Amenities and Networking

7:00pm EDT

Civil Rights on Friday Nights: Featuring Vermont Comedians!

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT

5. Campus Center

Limited Capacity seats available

Once you've filled your plate and filled your cup by chatting with colleagues, take a seat and treat yourself to an hour with three Vermont comedians. Special thanks to Vermont State Refugee Coordinator and standup comedian Tracy Dolan for curating the comedy slate for us! You'll hear from:

Maddie Cross is a Burlington-based stand-up comedian who has performed throughout Northern New England. She has opened for nationally touring comedians including Kelsey Cook, Laurie Kilmartin, Casey Balsham, and Phil Hanley. Her mother reportedly describes her comedy as “smart” and “confusing.”
Zoe Bernstein, also known as Miss Covered Bridges Vermont, is a student and standup comedian who has shared the stage with nationally touring comedians including Ryan Hamilton and Danny Jolles.
Ian Paul is a standup comedian and high school guidance counselor known for his raucous performances at the Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington. If anything he says is off-color, he probably learned it from your kid.

Friday September 25, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
5. Campus Center 124 Admin Dr.

In Person, Amenities and Networking