The USBLN® is preparing to hold its 10th Annual Conference. The purpose of the conference is to assemble employers, BLN Chapter members and other stakeholders to identify successful strategies aimed at diversifying the American workplace. The USBLN® Vision is that every employer recognizes and benefits from the best practice of including people with disabilities in their workforce and marketplace.

Since becoming a legal entity in 2002, The USBLN® has held four national conferences hosted by our state chapters: CABLN, NYBLN, PABLN and last year's MNBLN. Each year the attendance has grown, evaluations have become more enthusiastic, and USBLN® chapters and members have expanded. Our theme for the 2006 conference, "Inclusion: THE TIME IS NOW" focused on implementing the many innovative strategies in order to educate business on the business imperative of including people with disabilities in the workforce.

For the first time in 2006, we partnered with AAPD to launch Disability Mentoring Day with a national career fair for students. There were 600 students- high school and college- who attended the career fair (and we had to turn away another 400 students). Conference keynote speakers included U.S. Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, former Senator Bob Dole, John Kemp, well-known disability rights advocate, attorney and author, Stedman Graham and Emanuel Yeboah.