2024 I AM ALS Community Summit

This page has everything you need to know about the I AM ALS 2024 Community Summit and related ALS Awareness Month events in Washington, DC from May 29th – June 1st.

Welcome to I AM ALS’s inaugural Community Summit and third annual DC ALS Awareness Event! 

In 2024, I AM ALS will host our first ALS Community Summit. This summit will be a three-day event where ALS advocates and community organizations can meet, discuss, and learn from each other about the important issues facing the ALS community and develop tactics to address these issues. You are not going to want to miss this opportunity.

We will also host the 3rd annual ALS Awareness Month flag event. In 2022 and 2023, I AM ALS hosted the community and displayed 6,000 flags on the National Mall, honoring those living with ALS, those we have lost to ALS, and those who are ALS gene carriers. We hosted a speaking event at the flag installation where community members could tell their story and raise awareness of ALS and the actions that need to be taken. In 2023, we added coordinated meetings between advocates and legislators to ensure Congress heard the ALS community policy priorities, concerns and solutions directly from the ALS community. All of this amazing work will continue in addition to this year’s summit.  

These incredible events will: 

• Bring the community together for networking, connection, and support
• Engage with Congress to educate them on ALS and public policy priorities for the community
• Raise public awareness of ALS
• Offer trainings and opportunities for community members to learn from each other, influence legislative and other change in ALS, story tell, and more 

Like all I AM ALS initiatives, we could not do this without you.

Where:

The ALS Community Summit will take place primarily at Hogan Lovells US LLP DC:

Columbia Square
555 13th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20004

The flag installation will be placed on the National Mall in Washington, DC, between the Washington Monument and 14th St SW. Use this address for reference: 

2 15th St NW
Washington, DC 20024

I AM ALS has secured a block of rooms in the JW Marriott, 15 of which are wheelchair accessible. Book from this block here.

TENTATIVE Schedule:

(A more detailed itinerary will be provided closer to the time of the event)

Wednesday, May 29

10am- 3pm: Set up flag display on National Mall

11am- 12:15pm – Legislative Advocacy Training (for those going to Congress) at Hogan Lovells

4:30-7pm – Reception at Hogan Lovells

Thursday, May 30

10am-1pm- Community Speeches at the Flag Display

1:30pm- 5pm- Meetings with Congressional Offices at the Capitol (for those going to Congress)

1:30pm-5pm ALS Summit Panels:

• Finding Support and Taking a Break (Caregivers and people living with ALS)
• Working within the system: Advocacy on the inside

5pm-7 pm – Hanging out in the JW Marriott Lobby

Friday, May 31

9am- 5pm- Meetings with Congressional Offices at the Capitol

10am- 5pm – ALS Summit at Hogan Lovells

• Raising Awareness and Funds My Way
• Accessibility (hotels, public building, restaurants, planes)
• Homecare
• Youth and ALS

Saturday, June 1

9am- 3pm – Flag display

10am- Chesapeake Region Adaptive Boating (CRAB) – https://www.iamals.org/action/crab2024/

3pm-5pm – Flag display breakdown

All the Links You Need

*Please Note: In-person summit registration has temporarily closed. You may still sign up to attend virtually or to volunteer at the flag event.*

• Flag Submission Form – Use this form to submit a name to be printed onto a flag as part of the display. If you have had a flag in previous years, you WILL need to resubmit in order to be included again in 2024. 
• Event and Summit RSVP Form – Use this form to indicate whether you will be in DC in person for any part of the event. (You can also use this form to volunteer to help I AM ALS with flag setup, breakdown, taking photos, etc.) 

Logistics

We know traveling can be difficult, so here are some logistical tips that might help.

Recommended Hotel

• JW Marriott
  • 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
  • I AM ALS has secured a block of rooms in this hotel, 15 of which are wheelchair accessible. Book from this block here.

Metro Stops Closest to Locations

• Flag Display
  • Smithsonian (Blue/Orange/Silver Line)
  • Archives/Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter (Green/Yellow Line)
• Community Summit
  • Metro Center (Orange/Blue/Silver Lines, Red/Green/Yellow Lines)
    • The exit from the station at F St & 12th St leads directly to the Hogan Lovells lobby.

We’re so excited to get this event going! Don’t see what you’re looking for? Let us know by contacting us!

Huge thank you to our Summit supporters:

Thank you to our community partners for collaboration and promotion of this event: