During the month of July, we celebrate Disability Pride Month! July was selected as the time we celebrate the disability community so that it would coincide with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This piece of legislation protects the rights of people with disabilities to participate in public life and requires public spaces and activities to be accessible. Historically, the institutionalization and exclusion of people with disabilities has encouraged a culture of shame and blame around disability and chronic illness as well as a devaluing of people in this community. Awareness activities like Disability Pride fight back against these ideas by empowering people with disabilities to see their own value and take pride in their accomplishments as well as promoting acceptance and understanding in the community at large.
Below are several links pertaining to Disability Pride in case you would like to learn more:
Image Description: A bright pink sign in the grass. The sign has a symbol of a wheelchair user with the text, "step free route."
Credit: Yomex Owo / Unsplash via Webador
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