In the Summer of 2025, Disability EmpowHer Network graduated our fourth class of EmpowHer Camp Young Leaders and have now graduated 24 incredible disabled young women and nonbinary people. One week after the Class of 2025 graduated, we started the journey again with a new group of young leaders and mentors, and we've already seen incredible growth. Check out our Impact Reports to learn more about the growth journey of our young leaders and their mentors.
EmpowHer Camp Class of 2026
Group photo of young leaders and mentors in purple sweatshirts that say "Disabled Women Make History"
​EmpowHer Camp - Class of 2025 (ADK Trip)
Impact Report
PDF Version
​​​
Fast Facts
Independent Living Skills: 100% of parents indicated that their child had strengthened independent living skills such as self-advocacy, planning, cooking, and self-care.
Growth: 86% of young leaders reported growing in at least one leadership skill including communication, problem solving, time management, and teamwork
​​
Quick Recap
EmpowHer Camp welcomed seven new young leaders to the program this summer during a wilderness camping trip in the Adirondacks. Our young leaders spent an incredible week with accomplished disabled women mentors and allies. Across the week we saw this group of young leaders form strong connections with each other through intellectual conversations, silly inside jokes, and opening up about their vulnerabilities. We explored topics such as emergency preparedness and response, while building leadership skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and self advocacy. Each young leader learned to build fires, cook new foods, and much more. Each young leader was matched with a disabled woman mentor who will support them in completing a community impact project over the next year which they planned together while at camp. The week was also filled with fun activities like tie-dyeing, campfire songs, and a camp-wide scavenger hunt. Everyone is leaving camp with new memories of plenty of laughter, camaraderie, and unforgettable experiences. We cannot wait to see what exciting and impactful things these young leaders do this next year!
Young leaders Emma, Ramya, Jordan, Red, and Charlee get ready to make art with Mentor-in-Training, Evie
Young leaders Ramya and Xinlan smile while saying goodbye to Mentors Bridget and Becky and Ally Lilly
Young Leader Adara and Ally Maggie share smiles under a tent
What Comes Next?
Now that our young leaders have learned about emergency preparedness and advocacy and been matched with their mentor, they are ready to spend the next year tackling their community impact project.​
They will advocate for inclusive and accessible emergency preparedness and response for disabled people in their communities, navigating the obstacles and difficulties of their project with the support of their mentor whom they will meet with every month virtually. Participants and mentors discuss their projects, school, family, goals, college, future careers, and much more! They will also have virtual meet-ups across the year with the whole class to bond, play games, learn new skills like resume writing, and hear about each other’s projects.​
After nine months, the Class of 2026 will travel to Washington, D.C. for their reunion trip. While on this trip, the young leaders will visit museums and monuments, learn new skills like interviewing, share about their project with their Senator’s office and members of the disability community, and spend time with their camp friends.
Young Leader Emma and Mentors Rasheera and Abby smile after being matched for mentoring
Young Leaders Jordan and Xinlan get ready for the scavenger hunt
Young Leader Asa drinking water through her lifestraw with the help of a mentor
What People Are Saying
​Mentor: "EmpowHer Camp was life-changing. The experience showed the importance of being independent and interdependent in our community."
Young Leader: “I’ve learned that disabled women have more power than we realize and that we shouldn’t say sorry to anyone for being different or doing things differently then others.”
Young Leader: “I've learned that I'm capable of much more than I thought.”
EmpowHer Camp Class of 2025
Group photo of Young Leaders and mentors at the FDR Memorial in DC.
Group photo of Young Leaders and mentors at the MLK Jr. Memorial in DC.
EmpowHer Camp- Class of 2025
Impact Report
PDF Version
​
Fast Facts
Leadership: 100% Young Leaders reported an increase in at least two leadership skills such as public speaking, discipline, time management, and problem solving in the last year.
Communication: 83% of the Class of 2025 believe that they have developed better communication skills.
​
Quick Recap
In July, the Class of 2025 wrapped up their yearlong EmpowHer Camp experience with a trip to our nation’s capital. The experience started last summer with our wilderness camping trip in the Adirondacks where the young leaders learned survival skills such as fire building, independent living skills like cooking, and leadership skills, such as teamwork and communication. Amidst the skill building there was plenty of singing, dancing, and crafts.
​
Since that trip, our participants have continued to learn new advocacy and leadership skills as they worked on their individual community impact projects over the last year with the support of their mentor. These projects ranged in topics from comfort kits for victims of house fires, to connecting the unhoused population to therapy dogs, to an examination of accessible evacuation plans of stadiums and concert venues.
​
By July, our young leaders had completed their projects and were reunited in Washington, D.C. for a week of networking, learning, and FUN! They participated in mock interviews, met with members of the Disability Community and their senators’ offices, and shared about their journeys at Presentation Night. Across the week they practiced being patient, flexible, and team-players while navigating the subways and summer heat to visit museums and monuments and make memories together!
Young leader Aurelia posing with a fossil at the Natural History Museum
Young leader Ivy and Mentor Saphire in front of a senate office building.
.jpeg)
Mentor Chrys and Young Leader Chelsea take a break on a bench
​What Comes Next?
The Class of 2025 wrapped up their D.C. trip by reviewing their goals, talking about their growth and progress in the project and personally, and setting goals for the future.
Moving forward, each of our graduates receives individualized support from Disability EmpowHer Network mentors, staff, and alumni as they continue to pursue their goals from college to careers to traveling abroad. We will support them in accessing information and resources, making informed decisions, and emotionally navigating the choppy waters. Our team conducts twice-a-year check-ins with each graduate until they are employed, or for 6 years following their graduation, whichever is later.
The Class of 2025 has grown strong bonds with each other this last year and now they will have even more support! They are joining our alumni network where they will have the opportunity to connect with more disabled women and nonbinary people as they build new friendships, have more belly laughs, and ask the most absurd and thought-provoking ice breaker questions in the alumni group chats and catch up calls.
What People Are Saying
Young Leader: "EmpowHer camp has given me so many opportunities, especially support wise. I didn’t have many people to relate to before this camp, but now I have the most incredible support squad ever who I love dearly. I’ve learned how to feel more comfortable when advocating for my needs and this camp has made me realize that all disabilities are valid! No matter what, you’re allowed to advocate and speak out for yourself. I’m so grateful for this experience, truly life changing.."
​
Young Leader: “I have a great relationship [with] my mentor, and we are still in communication even though EmpowHer has ended. I loved working with her, and she has connected me with amazing people."