MADISON (WKOW) — Community members gathered at Warner Park on Saturday for the Disability Pride Festival, wrapping up Disability Pride Month.
Helen Rottier is the president of Disability Pride Madison. She has been attending the festival for years, but her own disability inspired her to get more involved with the event.
“It’s so important and wonderful for people to come out and know that they can be their true selves today,” she said.
The event featured artists and performers with disabilities, and festival-goers could purchase arts and crafts and stop by booths offering disability services.
Miss Wisconsin Wheelchair, Raquetta Lawrence, participated in another event offered at the festival: wheelchair dancing.
“I’m honored to be the face and the voice for people like me, people in my community and people in my situation, people with this ability,” Lawrence said. “I want to be someone who shows people that just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you don’t have abilities.”
Rebecca Hoyt is a disability rights and services specialist for the City of Madison. She lives with an invisible neurological disability that she says can come with its own challenges.
“I can pass as someone without a disability, but that often means I can face challenges when asking for things I need, like reasonable accommodations,” Hoyt said.
Her experience at the festival was extremely friendly: As soon as she pulled into the car park, someone approached her car and asked if she needed any accessibility assistance or a closer parking space.
“That doesn’t happen everywhere, but it can happen,” Hoyt said.
That’s why she continues to advocate for greater accessibility across Madison.