Melody Escobar to Serve as Keynote Speaker at Disability Conference in Virginia

Melody Escobar, Associate Research Scientist with the Center’s Collaborative on Faith and Disability, will serve as a keynote speaker at the upcoming Conference on Disability: From Inclusion to Belonging. 

Hosted by Porto Charities, the event will take place on March 7, 2026, at Saint John Paul the Great High School in Potomac Shores, Virginia.

This one-day conference invites families, educators, clergy, self-advocates, and community leaders to move beyond accommodation toward authentic belonging. Grounded in a vision of building a “beautiful life” for people with disabilities, the event will feature:

• Practical breakout sessions designed for parents, educators, clergy, and self-advocates
• Opportunities to network with fellow advocates
• A vendor area featuring local service providers

• An all-abilities art exhibit celebrating creativity and inclusion

  Escobar’s keynote will draw on her research and national leadership in faith and disability to equip congregations and communities with tangible practices that cultivate participation, belonging, and flourishing for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

  At the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing, we are committed to advancing research-informed practices that help churches, schools, and communities become places where every person is welcomed, valued, and able to contribute their gifts. We are grateful for opportunities like this to engage partners across the country in conversations that move from inclusion to deep, sustained belonging.

  To learn more or register, visit: portocharities.org/2026conference