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Dear Communications,
June is widely recognized as Pride Month, when we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and honor our community's diverse but equally valuable histories and identities. And as Pride Month comes to an end, another important pride celebration begins in July – Disability Pride.
Disability Pride is profoundly meaningful. It marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was passed by Congress 34 years ago in July of 1990. This landmark legislation has been greatly influential in breaking down barriers and ending discrimination against people with disabilities.
On a community level, Disability Pride serves as a platform for activism and advocacy for greater inclusion and accessibility in our society. This includes fighting for equal rights and opportunities, challenging discriminatory practices, and supporting policies that enable the full participation and empowerment of people with disabilities.
On a more personal level, Disability Pride is about honoring each and every person for their individuality and how they experience the world, for their hopes and dreams, and for their contributions to society.
People like Steven, for example. An exceptionally talented artist with Hope Studios, Steven excels in various mediums, including watercolor, colored pencils, wood burning, xylography, digital art, pixel art, and pyrography. He has his own business called MycoZephyr, and he has sold hundreds of pieces of artwork.
People like Jesse, who hopes to start his own cleaning business someday. His passions are cooking, cleaning, and ordering food from DoorDash. He recently turned 18 and for his birthday he went into an ice cream shop and ordered his ice cream without assistance. He is non-verbal and that was a huge milestone for him.
Then there's Josh, who volunteers his time to help elders in the community by stacking wood, raking leaves, and shoveling snow. And Darryl, who volunteers at the local food bank, sorting their donations, and at Central Peninsula Hospital, collecting items for recycling.
And Arne and Judy, both of whom have both been employed for many years in their community. Arne has worked as a sorter at a recycling business in Kenai for 25 years; and Judy, as a Greeter for Walmart, enjoys greeting and chatting with members in the community.
These unique individuals, along with every other person who experiences an intellectual or developmental disability, highlight the importance of taking pride in differing abilities and that, not only is that okay—it is beautiful. No ability is more or less valuable than another, and when we look at the world through that lens, disabilities become a natural and beautiful part of human diversity.
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