What does it mean to have “pride”? Many of us are familiar with LGBTQTIA+ pride celebrations. The celebratory and expressive annual parade grew out of marches and demonstrations that promoted civil rights for LGBTQIA+ people in the United States. What was once hidden or taboo is now a demonstration of identity, strength, and community. The same can be said for Disability Pride, which grew out of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Day, which celebrates the signing of the ADA by President George HW Bush on July 26, 1990.
This year, on July 26, Cleveland will celebrate Disability Pride Day as part of University Circle Inc.’s WOW! Wade Oval Wednesdays series. WOW!’s second year event will feature disability-friendly arts activities starting at 4 p.m. and a piano dueling performance by the Cleveland Keys at 6 p.m.
“This is a community of peers and people with disabilities. Embrace who you are and celebrate your differences and diversity,” said Chris Gurr, CEO of Youth Challenge and event co-chair. Gurr led the event for organizers Northeast Ohio Coalition of People with Disabilities (formerly ADA Cleveland) along with MaxHousing co-chair Beth Glass. “This is a fully accessible event. Whether you’re hearing impaired, visually impaired, or mobility impaired, we want this event to be inclusive for everyone.”
From basic rights to disability pride
It is an essential part of being human, to be proud of who you are in this world. But the civil rights of Americans with disabilities have been hard won. Many don’t know that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was created by disability activists in the 1970s and ’80s. They wrote and fought for landmark laws like Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits federally funded organizations and employers from discriminating against people with disabilities, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides services to children with disabilities in public schools, including Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), to ensure students with disabilities receive support and equality.
Before the ADA, it was legal for private businesses and institutions that did not receive federal funding (and therefore were not subject to Section 504) to discriminate against people with disabilities. This meant discrimination in services at private hospitals, lack of access to voting in your community, and poor access to locally funded public transportation services. Employers were not required to consider applicants with disabilities. The rights that people with disabilities enjoyed before the ADA were conferred upon them by their parents or guardians, or by the limited protections provided by the federal government.
This month marks the ADA’s 33rd anniversary, and there’s a lot to be proud of. “Disability Pride is a rebranding,” says co-chair Gurr. “The celebration started as ADA Day, but no one knew what the acronym meant, so we changed it to Disability Pride.” In fact, the entire month of July is Disability Pride Month.
Building inclusive communities through accessibility
“People with disabilities make up the largest minority group,” said Janet Keeler, Community Development Manager for the Cuyahoga County Commission on People with Developmental Disabilities (CCBDD). “Twenty-five percent of our community is disabled. If we don’t make our events accessible, we’re alienating a quarter of our potential customers.”
CCBDD says its mission is “to support and assist people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, work and play in their communities,” and improving accessibility is an important part of that.
Recently, CCBDD debuted an adult changing station at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s sensory-friendly event. “One older woman came up to us in tears,” Keeler said of the gratitude from attendees. “This is a game changer.” She said CCBDD is creating an online interactive map as a guide to finding adult changing stations in the community. CCBDD also plans to bring the changing station to WOW!’s Disability Pride on July 26.
Keeler stressed that these increased accessibility measures are important for inclusion and freedom for people with disabilities and their families: “It can make the difference between being able to go to an event or being able to stay at home.”
Details of the Disability Pride event
The event, held at Wade Oval on July 26, will include a parade, with the Cuyahoga Board of Developmental Disabilities (CBDD) hosting a tent for people to decorate mobility aids in advance. Other tents hosted by local disability service organizations will offer activities such as making your own art and instruments. The evening will conclude with a concert by the Cleveland Keys dueling piano group and the Sign Language Choir from the Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
There will be ASL interpretation, food and drink vendors, and plenty of fun activities available throughout the event at Wade Oval (all activities are free, but food and drinks will be for sale).
Event Agenda
4:00 PM – Inclusive Arts Activism Station 5:30 PM – Opening Remarks 5:45 PM – Parade to the stage using the Wade Oval sidewalk 6:00 PM – Concert begins – Piano Duel with the Cleveland Keys 7:15 PM – Break – Sign Choir (Deaf Community Center) 8:30 PM – Concert ends with the Cleveland Keys
Bring a flyer for the event to receive a free bottle of water and an ADA T-shirt. The event will also provide information about the March for Access, which will be held on Saturday, September 23rd in Public Square.
East Boulevard is closed due to construction. If you are arriving to the event by paratransit, the following addresses are closest to the event:
Cleveland Botanical Gardens. 11030 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106 Cleveland Museum of Art. 11150 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106 Cleveland Museum of Natural History. 1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland, OH 44106
There is free parking at the Cleveland VA Medical Center and several paid lots around Wade Oval. If taking a fixed-route (non-paratransit) GCRTA bus or train, take the Euclid Avenue Health Line from Public Square or the Red Line to Cedar-University Station. To inquire about accessibility options, contact Chris Garr at 440-892-1001 x20 or email [email protected].
More information on disability rights
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended | ADA.gov
Books:
–Being Human, by Judy Heumann
– Kim Nielsen, A History of Disability in America
documentary:
–Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution on YouTube
– Gang of 19 – ADA Campaign by PBS
Podcasts:
– Barrier-free stalls
– Disability Visibility, a Barrier-Free Future (libsyn.com)
Kelly Margaret Heikkila was a participant in The Land’s Community Journalism program.