Be A Force - Weekend One (July 9-11) - Register for the full weekend of events HERE.

Expo Session 1 - Visit our vendors during one of our Expo sessions.  Hear an overview of the all companies, with time available to visit with individual vendors in their virtual "booth" room.  The same vendors will also be on Saturday and Sunday, so you can select which day to visit, or visit more than once to have extra time with the vendors you want to talk with.

KIDS:  Creating a Positive Social Media Image - Join TikToc star Andrew Montzingo (AKA @MrMontzingo on TikTok;) as he hosts candid conversations about how to successfully represent dwarfism in a positive manner on social media as well as how to manage the negative. **This event requires separate registration.

Celebrity Game Night - Join some of our most entertaining LP celebrities - Paralympic athlete Sophia Herzog, reality star Tonya Banks, and actor/activist Danny Woodburn - compete for the LPA Virtualpalooza Gold Cup award during this exciting game of Celebrity Trivia. With the format of Jeopardy and the vibe of Hollywood Squares, our celebrities will be tackling some tough LP and LPA trivia questions.  Each celebrity will also be able to use one of their LPA lifelines - maybe that lifeline is you?  We hope you will join us for this hilarious, uniquely interactive evening of entertainment. 

LPA Pharmaceutical Committee - Achondroplasia Research Overview & Discussion - LPA’s Pharmaceutical Industry Committee will be presenting an overview of the development of therapies for achondroplasia. The committee was formed in 2020 to process the ongoing research efforts in achondroplasia to ensure the LPA community, as well as those just being introduced to dwarfism, have access to objective and easy-to-understand information to base healthcare decisions. After the presentation, there will be a Q&A session where a panel of committee members will address any questions that you might have.

Expo Session 2 - Visit our vendors during one of our Expo sessions.  Hear an overview of the all companies, with time available to visit with individual vendors in their virtual "booth" room.  The same vendors will also be on Friday and Sunday, so you can select which day to visit, or visit more than once to have extra time with the vendors you want to talk with.

MAB Spine Health and Complications:  This workshop will discuss spine complications in both children and adults with skeletal dysplasias. Surgery performed to correct problems and expected outcomes will be highlighted. Questions are welcomed.  Este evento tendrá traducción del inglés al español disponible.

KIDS:  “Little Lucy Big Race” Read-a-long - Written by Matt Roloff, the star of TLC's hit reality show Little People, Big World, Little Lucy, Big Race shares that we all have potential and are special in our own little way. Little Lucy, Big Race is based on Lucy, Matt's energetic, fun-loving dog who was adopted and born the smallest of her litter. True to the story, Lucy started off shy and has since come out of her shell loving the freedom of wide-open spaces. Despite her small size, little Lucy continues to be the fastest critter on the farm. Her story will inspire readers of all ages! After the story, Matt will share stories from his family's pumpkin farm.

KIDS:  Game Time - Facilitated by Curtis Reynolds, VP of Big Fish Games. All gamers meet in the opening room where they will learn about behind the scenes of gaming. Gamers will pick their gaming breakout (Animal Crossing, Among Us, Fortnite). Each breakout room will be facilitated by an LP gamer.  **This event requires separate registration.

Workshop:  Self Love Through Affirmations, Meditation & Journaling - Join Angela Singletary as she talks about the power of affirmations, meditating, and journaling on your self-love journey. She explains the science behind them, why they work and how you can begin to implement them in your regular routine!.

Parents Workshop (Ages 0-5) - A discussion for new parents, focusing on the emotions around a diagnosis, different developmental milestones, family advocacy, early advocacy, medical recommendations in the first few years, and raising proud and confident children in the dwarfism community.

Hispanic Affairs Committee Parent Workshop - Hijos vs. Padres - This workshop will be conducted in Spanish.  Este taller les proveerá tanto a padres de familia como a jóvenes interesados en tener hijos, las herramientas necesarias para que puedan tener una visión diferente hacia la educación de los niñ@s y lograr así una mejor comunicación y entendimiento tanto de padres a hijos como de hijos a padres.

Meet & Greets - Meet and Greets are an opportunity to join together and share experiences, virtually meet new people, exchange ideas, ask important questions, relax and socialize. We encourage all to attend and connect with other LPA members and make new friends.  This evening, there will be a  SED/Kniest, Acromesomelic, and OI Meet & Greets.  

Forces of Fashion - Virtual Fashion Show - “Be a Force” and join the “Forces of Fashion” in our community at this year’s empowering virtual LPA Fashion Show!  Celebrate self-expression, style, and body positivity during the live-streamed event on July 10! See our community make the world their runway in clothing that makes them feel powerful. Meet some of the designers and innovators who are creating ready-to-wear and made-to-measure clothing for us and with us and driving positive changes in the fashion industry. **This event will be a YouTube Premier video.  A link to the YouTube Premier will be sent out to those registered about 24 hrs before the event.  

Dance Party - What LPA conference would be complete without a dance party?  Pull out your dancing shoes and join Hollywood Julio and DJ CB3 as they host our Saturday night Dance Party.  

Board of Directors - General Assembly - Join the LPA Board of Directors for an update on LPA's accomplishments over the past year and where we are headed in the future. During this Town Hall formatted meeting, there will be an overview of last year’s IDEA report followed by a Q&A session where members can interact with the current BoD.

MAB All Things Genetic:  This workshop will discuss principles of inheritance and risk. The presenters will help to answer questions such as “Will this happen again?” It will also provide an update on the molecular genetic understanding of various bone growth conditions and how that knowledge is currently being utilized for the future. Pregnancy and insurance questions will be addressed, as well. Questions are welcomed.  Este evento tendrá traducción del inglés al español disponible.

Workshop:  Thriving in Your Calling - Have you ever wondered about starting and running your own business? Join Jon Etherton, an LP who started and ran a successful lobbying and consulting business in Washington, DC for 14 years, as he shares lessons he learned from the experience that could help you think more clearly about how to start and what to expect. No matter what type of business you may be thinking of, this workshop will give you useful tips on starting, sustaining, and eventually retiring from, a business that embodies your calling.   

KIDS:  What Do you Want to be When You Grow Up - Join us as we explore a variety of professional paths our young adults have taken and how they got there. Our panel of professionals will briefly describe their jobs and then answer questions about their transition from school to the workplace. Although all are welcome to attend, the target audience is upper middle school and high school students. 

MAB - Respiratory and Hearing Issues - This workshop will discuss breathing problems that may arise at various ages in individuals with short stature. Topics discussed will include central apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, diagnostic test and various treatment options for breathing issues. Other topics discussed will include why so many children and adults with skeletal dysplasia require ear tubes. Questions are welcomed! Este evento tendrá traducción del inglés al español disponible.

Parents Workshop (Middle & High School) - A crash course on how to support your child through those often challenging pre-teen/teenage years! Topics covered range from dating, involvement in sports beyond being an athlete (managers, etc), navigating friendships, how to jumpstart Drivers Ed and more! Topics discussed will include both the child and parent perspectives. 

Workshop:  College 101:  Transition from High School to College - The transition from high school to college is a very exciting time in a young person’s life! High schoolers and their parents/guardians are encouraged to attend this workshop to get the 411 on how students with disabilities can succeed in and outside the classroom. Topics that will be discussed during this workshop will include, selecting the best college/university to fit your needs, registering with your university’s disability services office, types of reasonable accommodations in college, connecting with your state’s vocational rehabilitation office, and developing strong self-advocacy skills to help you succeed during your college experience and beyond.

Expo Session 3 - Visit our vendors during one of our Expo sessions.  Hear an overview of the all companies, with time available to visit with individual vendors in their virtual "booth" room.  The same vendors will also be on Friday and Saturday, so you can select which day to visit, or visit more than once to have extra time with the vendors you want to talk with.  

Cooking With Ivy - Ivy from MasterChef Jr. will host a hands-on cooking demo creating fun and healthy options. Concluded with an open chat about her experiences and positivity. The ingredients and supply list will be published in advance.

OWLS Online - Welcome back LPA members 55 and over. Join Greg Lawrence, LPA OWLS Coordinator, at our second annual Virtualpalooza OWLS meeting.  We hope to see some new faces and many of our regular OWLS members, as we catch up and share stories.  We’re sure there will be a few laughs throughout the meeting. 

Newcomers Meetup - Are you new to LPA?  First time attending an LPA virtual event?  Come to our Newcomers Meetup for an informal opportunity to meet members of LPA leadership and other newcomers.  We’ll also talk about what to expect during the two weeks of Virtualpalooza, and make sure you know what is not to miss.  We look forward to “seeing” you on Zoom.

Rainbow Social - This is an opportunity to meet new friends and visit with old friends. Attendees will have the opportunity to exchange stories, ideas, and helpful advice. This is a safe space and we welcome both gay and supportive straight family and friends.