Did you know that July is Disability Pride Month? Each year, Disability Pride Month celebrates those with disabilities, emphasizing the identities, culture, and positive contributions to society of these individuals!
“Disability Pride Month is a time to celebrate the identities, cultures, and achievements of people with disabilities. It is a time to show Pride in these accomplishments and contributions.” – Elaine Cray, Special Friends Network, Disability Pride Month Flag Raising
Disability Pride Month began in July of 1990 in the United States with the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Fast forward to today, it is celebrated across the world each July.
This year, Special Friends Network in Milton commemorated Disability Pride Month with a Disability Awareness flag raising, followed by a celebratory march. Disability self-advocates and advocates, Milton’s Mayor Gord Krantz, members of council and RCMP officers gathered to officially recognize Disability Pride Month in Milton. We are so grateful to Special Friends Network for including members of our DAM team and community at this event and are encouraged to see Disability Pride Month being celebrated in Milton.
Gathering with disability advocates and marching down Main St!
With people with disabilities forming a large and diverse minority group worldwide, Disability Pride Month is an opportunity for all of us to promote inclusion and awareness, while pushing back against ableism.
The Disability Pride Flag
Disability is experienced in countless ways, and the Disability Pride Flag represents this diversity through colour. Each colour stripe represents different experiences; green for sensory disabilities, blue for psychiatric disabilities, white for invisible and undiagnosed disabilities, gold for neurodivergence, red for physical disabilities, and the black background for mourning for victims of ableist violence and abuse.
“Many people with disabilities still face discrimination and ignorance – Especially in accessing healthcare, education, employment and more. Disability Pride month seeks to change that. So I encourage you to start conversations, stay curious, learn, acknowledge and above all Celebrate this incredible community.” – Elaine Cray, Special Friends Network, Disability Pride Month Flag Raising
We are so happy to see the Disability Pride Flag flying in Milton and want to again shout out the Special Friends Network for hosting this event! We hope that everyone in our community finds ways to celebrate individuals who experience disability this Disability Pride Month and all year round!
