Join the Celebration: 4 Ways to Honor the Disability Community
July is Disability Pride Month, and RISE Services, Inc. Utah proudly stands with and supports people with disabilities. Our team provides various services for adults and children, such as after school and summer programs and job training and coaching. While our nation has made vast improvements regarding disability rights, many more remain. Keep reading to learn four ways you can honor individuals living with disabilities and advocate for their civil rights.
1. Discover More about Disability Rights
Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July to honor the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Before this law was passed, there was no official authority to mandate basic rights for individuals with disabilities, such as accessibility to public and private locations, diversity and inclusion employment standards, and civil rights protection for K-12 and higher education students. You can learn more by looking into various disability advocacy websites. The American Association of People with Disabilities, the National Council on Disability, and Respectability are great resources to begin.
2. Learn How to Advocate for Disability Rights
Advocating and supporting disability rights is much easier than one may think. Start by using social media to raise awareness of the discrimination and exclusion that still occurs today. Open a dialogue with others to promote laws and policies that provide fair and inclusive accessibility. Share posts or links from various disability advocacy organizations. When you work alongside youth and adults who live with disabilities, the power of combined voices together can impact their future.
3. Share Your Personal Experiences
Personal experiences are one of the most effective ways to influence others. Whether you live with a disability or are privy to another’s disability experience, sharing these stories (with their permission) with others or on social media can make a huge impact. Perhaps you can recount when your student received the necessary educational tools to succeed. Maybe you can share a personal experience of how a business owner welcomed you and your service animal to their establishment. There are many creative and dynamic methods to highlight your personal story.
4. Be Honest with Your Children
Our kids can ask some tough questions at times. When they have questions regarding people with disabilities, it’s essential to embrace them. If you lead by example and are honest with them, you are on the right track. If you are not sure how to approach this topic with your kids, we’d like to offer a few suggestions:
- When sharing with your child, keep all answers and thoughts positive.
- Respectfully talk about the people they see regularly who are different.
- Openly and honestly answer any questions they have.
- Lead by example — How you treat others or make assumptions about them will be the same way they do.
Supporting People with Disabilities in Utah
RISE Utah provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities and supports their journey to an independent and fulfilling life. If you or a loved one needs extra support, contact RISE today, and we’ll be glad to discuss our many options. Visit our careers page to learn more about working with RISE and supporting children and adults with disabilities.
Keely Cat-Wells, ” Celebrating Disability Pride Month – What’s Your Role?” Forbes (blog), June 28, 2023,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/keelycatwells/2023/06/28/celebrating-disability-pride-monthwhats-your-role/
