July is Disability Pride Month, a time to honor the history, challenges, and achievements of the disability community. This month is also an important reminder of the ongoing efforts needed to ensure that people with disabilities are recognized, included, and supported in all aspects of society.
Disability Pride Month was established to commemorate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990, a landmark legislation prohibiting discrimination based on disability. Beyond celebration, this month is a call to action for increased awareness, advocacy, and inclusion.
Why celebrate Disability Pride Month?
Disability Pride Month is vital for several reasons:
Raising Awareness: Many people are still unaware of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. Events and campaigns during this month help educate the public and dismantle stereotypes and misconceptions.
Promoting Inclusion: Celebrating Disability Pride Month encourages businesses, organizations, and communities to evaluate and improve their accessibility - both online and offline. It promotes the idea that everyone, regardless of their abilities, deserves equal opportunities and respect.
Empowering Individuals: By highlighting the stories and achievements of people with disabilities, Disability Pride Month empowers people with disabilities to be proud of who they are - disabilities and all - and also advocate for their rights.
Quinn Thomas from Courageous Community Services adds, "To me, being a self-advocate means speaking up not just for myself, but also for others. Getting involved in disability advocacy through my work has taught me a lot, and opened the doors for me to get involved with LGBTQ+ advocacy as a queer nonbinary person. I've become more connected with my community. I truly believe all advocacy starts on a local level and it begins with showing up and listening."
Advocacy and Policy Change: This month provides a platform for advocacy groups to push for necessary policy changes and bring attention to issues that affect the disability community.
As Stephen Lieberman, Director of Advocacy and Policy at United Spinal, emphasizes, "One-quarter of Americans have at least one disability, but our policymakers too often are not aware of the concerns our community is facing. Events like Roll on Capitol Hill are critical to communicating our needs to those who are able to address them."
How businesses and organizations can celebrate
Educate and Train Staff: Implement training programs to educate employees about disability awareness and inclusion. Understanding the barriers faced by people with disabilities can create a more inclusive workplace environment.
Highlighting personal stories is a powerful way to celebrate Disability Pride Month. Haley Waggoner, a Special Olympics athlete and employee, shares her experience: "One of the stereotypes that affects me the most is the idea that people with intellectual disabilities can't live an independent life. I think many people think that just because I'm a person with a disability I shouldn't work, I shouldn't live on my own, or I shouldn't speak up for myself, and I shouldn't be independent. Just because I have a disability doesn't mean I should be isolated. We are worth the investment."
Improve Accessibility: Conduct accessibility audits to ensure that your physical space, website, and digital content are accessible to all. This includes providing accommodations such as ramps, accessible restrooms, screen readers, and captioning for videos.
Highlight Success Stories: Share stories of employees or community members with disabilities who have a mission and a message. This not only celebrates their achievements but also challenges stereotypes.
Collaborate with Advocacy Groups: Partner with disability advocacy organizations to support their initiatives and learn from their expertise.
As Marlene Sallo, Executive Director of the National Disability Rights Network, notes, "We don't speak on behalf of the disability community, but we definitely elevate their voices and we definitely bring the issues to the forefront, both with the current administration at the White House, but also with our current elected officials."
Create Inclusive Opportunities: Ensure that recruitment and hiring practices are inclusive and provide opportunities for people with disabilities to join and thrive in the workforce.
Jacqueline Rodriguez, CEO of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, reminds us, "People with disabilities come to the table prepared to do the work of every other human on the planet, and that it's able-bodied barriers that create inhibitions or inabilities to produce."
Host Events and Discussions:Organize events, panels, and discussions and make sure they are fully accessible and inclusive. Demonstrate your commitment to inclusion within your organization and model a high standard of accessibility.
Make the month count
Disability Pride Month is a time to celebrate the diversity and strength of the disability community. It is also a call to action for greater inclusion, understanding, and advocacy. Don’t let the month pass you by - utilize the resources included above to make important accessibility improvements in July.