2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit | Heartland
For the first time since 2019, lupus advocates came together in Washington, DC for the nation's largest lupus advocacy event! From April 23–25, Summit attendees learned from experts in the field about the latest in lupus research, connected with hundreds of their fellow lupus advocates, and turned Capitol Hill purple by advocating for their members of Congress to join our fight against this terrible disease.
Each year, the National Lupus Advocacy Summit brings together the entire lupus community in pursuit of our shared goal: a world without lupus. At the 2023 Summit, hundreds of advocates helped us build on our past successes and push for more.
Hear firsthand from the brightest minds researching and treating this disease and receive training on how to advocate for yourself and others with lupus throughout the entire year.
There's no other event in the world that brings together as many people affected by lupus as the Summit. Be surrounded by those who understand your challenges and can help you manage them.
Meet with your members of Congress to tell your lupus story and urge them to join our fight against this terrible disease by supporting policies to improve the lives of all people affected by lupus.
The National Lupus Advocacy Summit is the keystone of our comprehensive advocacy program that has generated more than $684 million in federal funding for lupus research in the last five years alone.
From April 23-25, hundreds of lupus advocates in Washington, DC and thousands more online participated in the 2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit and made a tremendous impact in the fight against lupus.
All times Eastern.
6:00 – 7:00 pm | Welcome to Washington Reception
Join us at the JW Marriott for an informal evening reception with Summit attendees and Lupus Foundation of America staff. Receive your materials for the rest of the Summit and enjoy light refreshments as you get to know lupus advocates from across the country.
All times Eastern.
8:00 – 9:00 am | Registration and breakfast
9:00 – 9:30 am | Opening remarks
9:30 – 10:45 am | Successes, Challenges and the Future of Lupus Drug Development
Clinical research is critically important for improving overall outcomes for people living with lupus. This session will highlight the exciting work taking place in lupus drug development, including recent successes and ongoing drug development initiatives such as cell therapy.
10:45 – 11:00 am | Break
11:00 – 12:00 pm | Improving Awareness and Diversity in Clinical Trials
Black or African American, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous and Native American, Asian, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders are underrepresented in biomedical research, including lupus clinical trials. This session will provide an overview of the importance of diversity in clinical trials, including how trial diversity may impact the approval of new treatments and access to them. It will also feature key programs, driven by people with lupus, that are working to ensure patients from diverse populations are both educated and aware of their opportunities to improve treatment development and ensure access to high-quality care.
11:00 – 12:00 pm | Youth Congress: Who Are You Beyond Lupus?
As in year’s past, the Foundation will offer Summit programming exclusively for lupus advocates under 21 and their families. During this session, you’ll learn about the importance of forming a personal identity beyond the disease that consumes so much physical and mental energy to manage. You’ll leave the session with a better understanding of your identity outside of lupus and the importance of your mental health including resources available.
12:00 – 1:00 pm | Lunch
1:00 – 1:30 pm | 1 Lupus Voice in 50 State Governments
There is only one federal government, but there are fifty state governments – and all of them have the ability to improve the lives of people with lupus. Hear about the Foundation’s efforts to grow its state advocacy efforts and how you can be involved in making a huge difference at the state level.
1:30 – 1:45 pm | Services & Resources for You
During this session, Lupus Foundation staff will provide an overview of the various services, programs, and resources available to help you live your best life with lupus.
1:45 – 2:30 pm | Exhibit Hall Exploration & Advocate Networking
Learning more about the services available to help you and connecting with your fellow advocates are among the most impactful aspects of the Summit – during this time, we encourage attendees to visit the Exhibit Hall to engage with our partners and learn about the programs that can help improve the lives of people with lupus. This also is a great opportunity to network with other lupus warriors and build long-lasting relationships!
2:30 – 2:45 pm | Break
2:45 – 4:00 pm | Storytelling & Preparing for Capitol Hill
To close out the day, the Foundation's Advocacy & Government Relations team will discuss the issues we will be taking to Capitol Hill the next day, prepare you to tell your story in the most impactful way, and make sure you are fully prepared for three successful congressional meetings the following day.
4:00 – 4:45 pm | Closing Remarks & Delegation Meetings
Connect with those advocates you will be in meetings with on Tuesday and plan your approach for each meeting. Foundation staff will be present to answer any questions and help you practice.
6:30 – 8:00 pm | Lupus Heroes Reception
Join us as we honor our advocates, Ambassadors, and all of those who have made a difference in the fight against lupus. Refreshments will be served.
All times Eastern.
7:30 – 9:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am – 4:00 pm | Meetings with members of Congress
Meet with your members of Congress on Capitol Hill to tell the lupus story and urge them to support policies that will advance the fight against lupus. Lunch on your own. Closer to the Summit, advocates will be told exactly what time their meetings will be held.
3:00 – 6:00 pm | Hospitality room at the JW Marriott
Recap your day with Foundation staff and your fellow advocates, complete your Congressional Meeting Reports, and grab a snack before heading back home.
Virtual Registration Details
By registering for virtual access to the 2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit, you’ll receive all the details straight to your inbox on how you can be a part of this powerful event from anywhere in the world.
On Monday, April 24, you can livestream sessions and chat with your fellow advocates about all of the latest news on lupus research, drug development, and much more. And on Tuesday, April 25, you can participate in our annual Virtual Advocacy Day where you’ll have the opportunity to contact your members of Congress and urge them to support the same policy priorities that our in-person Summit attendees will be pushing in their meetings on Capitol Hill.
There is no charge to register for virtual access to the 2023 Summit.
Register Now for Virtual Access
In-Person Registration Details
Please note that in-person registration for the 2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit closed on March 30 as the event is completely sold out. We are unable to accept any new in-person registrations. If you have questions about an existing registration, please contact Travis Smith.
Your Summit registration fee of $50 provides you with an all-access pass to the 2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit. We collect this fee to reserve your spot at the event and slightly offset the costs associated with planning and executing an event of this size. The registration fee is waived for advocates 18 or under.
Included in your registration fee is:
- Exclusive access to our discounted room rate at the JW Marriott, Washington, DC;
- One-of-a-kind Lupus Foundation of America backpack;
- Breakfast, lunch, and snacks throughout the day on Monday, April 24;
- Breakfast on Tuesday, April 25 and refreshments after your meetings on Capitol Hill;
- Discounted transportation to and from Capitol Hill for your congressional meetings;
- Scheduled meetings with your members of Congress and access to a mobile app to help you navigate Capitol Hill, keep notes on your meetings, engage your members of Congress on social media, and more.
After you register for the Summit, you'll receive much more information to help you prepare for your trip to Washington. The week before the Summit, we will host a webinar to review everything you need to know and answer any final questions you may have. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact us.
The 2023 Summit will be hosted at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC. Our room block at the JW Marriott has reached capacity and we can no longer guarantee discounted lodging. Please contact the hotel directly to make a reservation outside of our block. You are not required to stay at the JW Marriott in order to participate in the Summit.
The Foundation will again provide scholarships for advocates to attend the Summit. Scholarships are extremely limited, and as much as we wish we could, we are not able to provide scholarships for everyone who applies. The deadline to apply for a scholarship was February 8 and applications can no longer be accepted.
The Foundation will use the address you provide when registering to schedule meetings for you with your three members of Congress. Please do not attempt to schedule your own meetings. Click here to find out who represents you in Congress, and please let us know if you have any issues or questions related to your meetings.
If you are living with lupus and planning to attend the Summit, check out our guide to traveling with the disease and this helpful packing list as you prepare for your trip to Washington. If you have specific nutritional needs or require ADA hotel accommodations, please contact Travis Smith after you have registered for the Summit.
We understand that traveling to Washington can be costly. It's important to us that we provide advocates every opportunity to be a part of this powerful event, and that's why we developed this fundraising guide to help you offset the cost of attending the Summit. The guide will help you budget for your trip, leverage the power of crowdsourcing, and much more.
Download the GuideThank you to our 2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit Sponsors!
Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Bristol Myers Squibb
EMD Serono
Kezar Life Sciences
Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc.
RemeGen Biosciences, Inc.
Sanofi
For questions about the 2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit, please contact Travis Smith, Sr. Director of Government Relations, at SmithT@lupus.org.