The 6th Annual free Building Inclusive Community Conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m Feb. 7 at Lyons Township High School - South Campus, 4900 Willow Springs Road, Western Springs.

The keynote speaker will be Víctor Gómez, Illinois Teacher of the Year.

One highlight will be a panel discussion on accessibility featuring six organizations and , Gomez Illinois Teacher of the Year and Ms. Wheelchair Illinois: Dr. Carrie Muderink (LTHS Class of 2009).

New this year is a collective action project, where LT will collect donations and items benefitting BEDS Plus and the La Grange Public Library’s Care Pantry.

Essential personal items to be donated on the day of the conference are: undergarments and socks of all sizes/types and personal hygiene items (any size), such as deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash, body wash, razors, feminine hygiene products, disposable adult underwear and similar items.

The conference’s goal is to encourage a welcoming and inclusive culture in our community by developing understanding and empathy through learning about issues and resources within our community.

Two rounds of workshops with 11+ diverse sessions have been developed by and for the community touching on a broad spectrum of topics to support this goal.

There will be additional opportunities to connect over a pizza/salad lunch.

Finally, a community resource fair will enable attendees to learn about various organizations and support available in our community.

Teachers in attendance will be able to earn continuing education units and ASL and Spanish-language interpretation will be made available.