First-year University of St. Thomas School of Law student Danielle Liebl spoke to a crowd of 18,000 high school students on Nov. 3, 2015, as part of We Day Minnesota. Liebl was invited to be one of the event’s 23 featured speakers, which also included Chelsea Clinton, Henry Winkler, Dr. Mae Jemison, and other activists, actors and musicians.
Liebl’s speech focused on her life as a person with Cerebral Palsy, exploring how social and systemic barriers have led to her becoming an advocate for people with cognitive disabilities. Liebl is founder and executive director of the nonprofit DIFFERbilities Experience, which provides inclusive opportunities to students with disabilities to promote a society of inclusion, acceptance and mutual respect.
Held annually in 14 cities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, We Day is a stadium-sized celebration of youth making a difference in their local and global communities, combining the energy of a live concert with inspiring stories of leadership and change. It is part of the yearlong We Schools program, which nurtures compassion in young people and gives them the tools to create transformational social change.
