History
Disability Pride Parades Across America
Disability Pride Parades seek to change the way people think about and define disability, to end the stigma of disability, and to promote the belief that disability is a natural and beautiful part of human diversity in which people living with disabilities can take pride. Disability Pride Parades also usually coincide with Disability Pride Week in the communities where they are held.
The first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston, MA in 1990. This coincides with the same year the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, creating a new era of change for the disability community. The United States first Disability Pride Parade was held in Chicago in 2004. Today, Disability Pride Parades have been held in a number of places across the United States, including Silicon Valley/Santa Clara County, Chicago, Philadelphia, Colorado Springs, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, New Jersey, and Columbus as well as around the world in locations such as South Korea, Norway, and the U.K.
HOW CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT DISABILITY HISTORY?
WHERE CAN YOU FIND MORE RESOURCES?
HOW CAN YOU START THE CONVERSATION?
We encourage people to talk about what they are already proud of, and incorporating disability into that conversation as a natural part of their identity. However, it can be hard for some to talk about what they are proud of. Start with what they are passionate about, and ask them to set goals. Raising self-confidence by achieving goals is a great way to motivate. Developing problem solving skills and discussing perseverance are also important in developing a sense of pride. How do they handle stress? What is something they feel they are good at? What is something they want to work towards? It is important to discuss how pride and self-love do not develop overnight. Pride in yourself comes from many places, but it isn’t made overnight. Setting that expectation in the beginning is important to how young people will adjust to the idea.
TAKE THE PLEDGE TO BE DISABILITY-FRIENDLY
www.disabilitysa.org/take-the-pledge.html
The first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston, MA in 1990. This coincides with the same year the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, creating a new era of change for the disability community. The United States first Disability Pride Parade was held in Chicago in 2004. Today, Disability Pride Parades have been held in a number of places across the United States, including Silicon Valley/Santa Clara County, Chicago, Philadelphia, Colorado Springs, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, New Jersey, and Columbus as well as around the world in locations such as South Korea, Norway, and the U.K.
HOW CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT DISABILITY HISTORY?
- The National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth (NCLD/Y) serves as a national youth-led information, training, and resource center. NCLD/Y has a timeline focused solely on the history of disability rights.
- The timeline at disabilityhistory.org dates back to BC.
- Yo! Disabled and Proud has a history of the Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement (PDF).
- The timeline by DeafJam describes the deaf history over the centuries.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND MORE RESOURCES?
- Rooted in Rights is a disability rights blog that highlights stories of disabled people of all ages who show a sense of disability pride.
- For more information about building disability pride in people with hidden disabilities or mental health disabilities, please check out Presence Learning Handout on Building Disability Pride (PDF).
- For artwork on disability pride from disabled artists, please check out Disability Pride California.
- The state of Hawaii produced a Disability Awareness Toolkit (PDF) that covers disability pride, details more of the background of the disability rights movement, and provides additional resources.
HOW CAN YOU START THE CONVERSATION?
We encourage people to talk about what they are already proud of, and incorporating disability into that conversation as a natural part of their identity. However, it can be hard for some to talk about what they are proud of. Start with what they are passionate about, and ask them to set goals. Raising self-confidence by achieving goals is a great way to motivate. Developing problem solving skills and discussing perseverance are also important in developing a sense of pride. How do they handle stress? What is something they feel they are good at? What is something they want to work towards? It is important to discuss how pride and self-love do not develop overnight. Pride in yourself comes from many places, but it isn’t made overnight. Setting that expectation in the beginning is important to how young people will adjust to the idea.
TAKE THE PLEDGE TO BE DISABILITY-FRIENDLY
www.disabilitysa.org/take-the-pledge.html