Best Buddies Leadership Conference 2024 Highlights

  

Last July, Best Buddies hosted their biggest event of the year: the Best Buddies Leadership Conference! It’s an opportunity for Best Buddies participants to meet each other, celebrate, and learn new skills to spread the mission of Best Buddies. Here are some highlights from the conference.  

Image: Sixteen people on stage in a line preforming in a line. Behind them are five flags and a big screen that says “Everybuddy Belongs BBLC 2024”. 

Friday is when everyone arrived at Indiana University Bloomington. While there were some issues with flights that Friday, we still had a great time at the opening ceremonies, which was full of performances, speeches, and the presentation of the Spirit of Friendship Award! This award, which highlights participants who go above and beyond in advancing the mission of friendship and inclusion, was given to Frances Sheinberg, aka Flava Fran. Fran also performed two original raps about Best Buddies! 

 

On Saturday after breakfast, we went to the main auditorium to watch presentations. YLC Leadership, including Nathan Moldavsky, Jamie Galvin, Vanessa Ocana, and Michelle Raitman, went on stage to share more about the YLC and promote our application! Afterwards, we had a live book reading by Mia Armstrong, who wrote an inspiring children’s book about Down Syndrome awareness.  After some more presentations and a wellness break presented by Kibu, there was a discussion with David Quilleon and other Best Buddies participants, including our very own YLC member Ken Seto! 

 

Once morning presentations concluded, YLC members helped with the High School, College, and Ambassador Mission & Vision tracks for the afternoon. The YLC also hosted a pop-up booth where participants could learn more about the YLC and win prizes! After dinner and a quick break, we then went to the basketball auditorium for the Friendship Olympics. We had performers from a boy band to a Taylor Swift impersonator! We celebrated Anthony Kennedy Shriver’s birthday and then had a small Friendship Walk in the auditorium, where the YLC cheered everyone on! There was a party after with a live DJ, food, and fun activities.  

Image: Six people sitting at a long table.  

Sunday was a time for learning. We had a few invigorating morning sessions, then time for lunch! Throughout the afternoon, different tracks went to each of their courses to learn how to spread the mission of Best Buddies back home. To conclude the conference, we all attended closing ceremonies in the main auditorium. While it was sad that Sunday was our last day, closing ceremonies was an amazing event, with heartfelt speeches from Ambassadors and a performance by Marlana VanHoose. After closing ceremonies, there was a huge Festival of Friendship filled with dancing, bowling, and a screening of Champions.  

Image: Kiontis Gallion, Wisconsin State Ambassador, stands at the Best Buddies podium giving a speech for closing ceremonies. 

While it was a busy conference, it was also an enjoyable and educational experience. Now, let’s start the countdown for Leadership Conference 2025! 

 

In friendship, 

Michelle Yoshimine 

YLC Member, California