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Disability Pride Month
What is Disability Pride Month?
Disability Pride Month commemorates the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in July 1990, a historic milestone in advancing the rights of all people with disabilities. Since then, Disability Pride Month has become a celebration of the unique experiences, strengths, and achievements of people with disabilities. It is also a time to recognize that people with disabilities often face discrimination or marginalization based on their disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, or other intersecting factors.
Disabilities are a beautiful and natural part of human diversity, and we strive to create an inclusive and accessible society that enables individuals with disabilities to live fulfilling lives and participate in their communities. Activities during Disability Pride Month are aimed at inspiring all citizens to celebrate the contributions of persons with disabilities, promote inclusivity, and foster greater respect and understanding.
2023 Breaking Barriers Art Exhibition
The online gallery is now open to the public!
The Breaking Barriers Art Exhibition is a celebration taking place during Disability Pride Month. It aims to highlight the contributions of artists with disabilities in a community-based location while breaking down the stigmas that often prevent these artists from accessing opportunities in the art world.
This is also a platform for artists to share their creativity and passion for art. Disabilities are a beautiful and natural part of human diversity, and we invite the public to join the celebration as we showcase the talents of Michigan artists with developmental disabilities.
Thank you to Lansing Shuffle for hosting the in-person display of the 2023 Breaking Barriers Art Exhibition! Thank you to all of the amazing artists who came out to showcase their artwork to the community.
History of Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Flag
The Disability Pride Flag was created by Ann Magill, a disabled woman, and each color symbolizes a different part of the disability community.
The Black Field: this field is to represent the disabled people who have lost their lives due not only to their illness, but also to negligence, suicide, and eugenics.
Red: physical disabilities
Yellow: cognitive and intellectual disabilities
White: invisible and undiagnosed disabilities
Blue: emotional and psychiatric disabilities
Green: sensory perception disabilities
A History of Disability Pride
1990: Boston held the first Disability Pride Day, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. Disability Pride Month was created to annually celebrate the passage of this historic civil rights law.
2004: The first Disability Pride Parade was held in Chicago in 2004. Since then, Disability Pride events have been held in Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, New York City, Los Angeles, and internationally in South Korea, Norway, the U.K., and more.
2006: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted in December 2006 to provide international standards of protection for the civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights of persons with disabilities on the basis of inclusion, equality and non-discrimination.
2015: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared July as Disability Pride Month in celebration of the ADA's 25th anniversary. This declaration marked the first official recognition of Disability Pride Month.
2019: The Disability Pride Flag was created by Ann Magill, a disabled woman, and each color symbolizes a different part of the disability community. The flag was updated in 2021 to accommodate feedback that the original "lightning bolt" design posed a risk for people with epilepsy and migraine sufferers.
2022: Governor Gretchen Whitmer declares July 2022 as Disability Pride Month in Michigan, which marks the first official recognition of Disability Pride Month by the State of Michigan. View the 2023 Disability Pride Month Proclamation.