Disability Town Hall – Columbus, IN

Promotional graphic for a Disability Town Hall with the headline “Share Your Voice.” The graphic includes the event title “Disability Town Hall,” the date and time “Wednesday, June 3, 5–8 PM,” and the location “The Commons, 300 Washington Street, Columbus, Indiana.” The INSILC logo appears in the bottom right. The design features blue, yellow, and gray circular shapes on a white background.

Event Overview


Disability Town Hall
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
5:00-8:00 PM ET
The Commons, 300 Washington Street, Columbus, IN

Join INSILC for its second town hall event of 2026—a community-centered gathering focused on elevating the voices of people with disabilities. This event creates multiple opportunities to speak directly with community leaders, connect with local organizations, and help influence decisions at both the local and state level. Ideas and themes shared throughout the evening will help inform Indiana’s next Statewide Plan for Independent Living, a roadmap of priorities and goals set by people with disabilities across the state.

Event Timeline:
5:00-5:30 PM – Attendees Visit Exhibitors and Community Conversation Table
5:30-6:00 PM – Welcome and Introduction Remarks
6:00-7:00 PM – Panel Discussion on Accessible Community Engagement (6:30-7:00 open to audience questions)
7:00-8:00 PM – Attendees Visit Exhibitors and Community Conversation Table

Speak Directly to Leaders: Panel Discussion

The panel brings together people with disabilities and community leaders whose decisions impact access, independence, and participation in everyday community life. Panelists will discuss the issues that matter most to people with disabilities, grounded in real experiences and local priorities. Attendees are invited to ask questions and share lived experiences.

Panelists:

  • Amber Scherer, Interim Executive Director, Thrive Alliance
  • Grace Kestler, City Councilor At-Large, City of Columbus
  • Jacob Sipe, Director of Community Development, City of Columbus
  • Kevin McCracken, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology and Mental Health Counseling, IU Columbus
  • Wendy Kirts, Executive Director, The Arc of Bartholomew County

Join the Discussion: Community Conversation Table

The Community Conversation Table offers a more informal space to share ideas, concerns, and priorities related to disability, access, and community life. The focus of the conversation will be Indiana’s Medicaid Waiver Reset and how changes may impact consumers. Input gathered from people with disabilities, families, and caregivers helps state leaders and other policymakers better understand what is needed and what matters most.

Stop by to learn more and add your voice to a broader statewide conversation about independent living.

Community Exhibitors

Local organizations will be onsite throughout the event, sharing information about their missions, services, and advocacy efforts. Community exhibitors will offer resources, tools, and connections for people with disabilities and their families, creating opportunities to learn what supports are available and to build ongoing relationships beyond the event.

Columbus Exhibitors:

  • ADA Indiana
  • Bartholomew County Public Library
  • Bartholomew County Veteran Services
  • Empowered Pathways
  • Foundation for Youth
  • Go Beyond Limits
  • Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities
  • REACH Columbus Inc
  • Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living, SICIL
  • Stone Belt Arc, Inc.
  • The Arc of Bartholomew County
  • Thrive Alliance

Accessibility

ASL interpretation and CART services will be provided. Please indicate any additional accommodation requests when registering.

Click Here to Register for the Columbus Town Hall