On Thursday, July 19, OAC kicked-off YWM2018 in the heart of downtown Denver by welcoming hundreds of attendees from all across the country (and globe!) to our 7th Annual Your Weight Matters National Convention. The energy and excitement felt at the Registration Desk was nothing but contagious. As attendees continued to pour in, old friends began to reconnect and new friendships began to form. There is always such a strong element of community at each of OAC’s National Conventions!

Raising the Next Generation of OAC Advocates

After YWM2018 attendees settled in, the day began with two unique OAC training sessions designed to allow attendees to experience the many ways being an advocate for people affected by obesity is possible – whether it’s through influencing the legislative process or simply making a difference in one’s own community and for obesity as a cause. Our two OAC afternoon training sessions were packed with passionate attendees and featured:

• Taking #OACAction – Get ENGAGED to Make a Difference; and
• OAC’s National, State and Local Advocacy Training Session

In our #OACAction ENGAGE Session, attendees were given hands-on, interactive opportunities to learn about getting more deeply involved with our organization. Getting involved can mean a lot of different things – from distributing OAC educational resources and standing up to weight bias to simply sharing our messages on social media. We need the work of OAC advocates to share our mission and vision with the rest of the world and help us improve the lives of people affected by obesity through education, advocacy and support.

In our National, State and Local Advocacy Training Session, attendees learned how they could use their personal story and their passions to influence the legislative process. This session included tips for representing OAC on Capitol Hill as well as in their very own communities! Also featured was a mock legislative visit that let attendees experience how to advocate for obesity awareness, access to obesity treatments and much more

Kicking-off the Weekend… Together in the EXPO Hall!

To finish-off Day #1 at YWM2018, OAC hosted an Attendee and Exhibitor Welcome Reception as a grand opening to the weekend! Attendees had the chance to explore the Your Weight Matters Healthy Living EXPO Hall and interact with more than 30 vendors offering products, services, samples and more from the health and wellness industry. They also got to connect with other attendees and show-off their home pride by wearing clothes and accessories that represented their state or country! The Reception was a wonderful way to kick-start YWM2018 and set the stage for the entire weekend. Thank you to everyone who joined us today!

To see more photos, updates, events, takeaways, inspiration and more from Day #1 at YWM2018, follow the hashtag #YWM2018 on all social media channels! As the event rolls on, we’ll continue to post more content for you to enjoy. Check-back on the OAC Community ENGAGE Platform for a complete recap once the weekend is complete!