July has been an important month in the history of disability rights ever since President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law in 1990. This landmark law prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities, and in July of that same year, the first Disability Pride Day was celebrated in Boston.
Since then, July has been marked as Disability Pride Month with parades and celebrations throughout the nation to mark the anniversary of the monumental law. Although Disability Pride Month is not yet a nationally recognized holiday, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the ADA, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared July Disability Pride Month in 2015.
Disability Pride Month is an important time to honor the diversity and uniqueness of each person in the disability community and celebrate people who have disabilities. Continue reading from National Health Council
According to the National Council on Independent Living, disability pride is necessary to combat the ableism that is rampant in this country, which can include stigma against people with disabilities and barriers to access.
Accessibility consultant Navi Dhanota, PhD, MA, says, "Health science programs are typical for BIPOC women, given how often they are found in helping professions. There is often a pattern of intersectional dynamics that contribute to them landing in my office for intake so part of my role is to assess their disability-related impacts and then translate those functional limitations into academic accommodations." Continue reading from Very Well Mind
How Disability Pride Month Started and What It Means (USA Today)
Celebrating Disability Pride Month (American Bar Association)
Disability Is Broader Than You Think (Psychology Today)
Disability Pride Month July (Forbes)
Celebrating Disability Pride Month With Books for All Ages (NYPL)
15 Books to Celebrate Disability Pride (NYPL)
ADA Anniversary Toolkit (ADA Anniversary)
History of the Americans with Disabilities Act (The Westport Library)
