What does it mean to have ‘pride’? Many of us are familiar with LGBQTIA+ celebrations of pride. Celebratory, expressive annual parades evolved from the marches and demonstrations that advanced civil rights in the U.S. for LGBTQIA+ people. What used to be hidden or taboo is now a demonstration of identity, strength, and community. The same could be said about Disability Pride, which evolved out of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Day (a celebration of the signing of the A.D.A on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush).
This year, on July 26, Cleveland will celebrate Disability Pride Day as part of University Circle Inc.’s WOW! Wade Oval Wednesdays series. The event, which is in its second year at WOW!, will feature accessible art activities beginning at 4:00 p.m. followed by the Cleveland Keys dueling pianos performance at 6:00 p.m.
“It’s a whole community of allies and disabled individuals – come as you are, to celebrate differences and diversity,” said Chris Garr, CEO of Youth Challenge and a co-chair for the event. Garr, along with co-chair Beth Glas of MaxHousing, headed up the event for organizer Northeast Ohio Coalition of Disability Organizations (formerly ADA Cleveland).“It’s a fully accessible event – if you have a hearing impairment, visual impairment, or mobility impairment – we want to make this event accessible to everybody.”
From basic rights to Disability Pride
Being proud of your own existence in the world is integral to the human experience. Yet, civil rights for disabled Americans were hard fought and hard won. Many people don’t realize the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)was realized by disabled activists in the 1970’s and 80’s who created and fought for landmark legislation, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits discrimination against disabled individuals by federally funded organizations and employers and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that provides for services to disabled children in public schools, including Individualized Education Plans (IEP) for disabled students to receive supports and equity.
Before the ADA, it was legal to discriminate against disabled individuals if you were a private business or any institution that wasn’t federally funded (and thus not covered by Section 504). This could mean discrimination in services in private hospitals, lack of accessible voting in our communities, and inaccessible services from locally funded public transportation. Employers didn’t have to consider disabled applicants. Whatever rights disabled people experienced before the ADA were given to them by their parents or caretakers or from the limited protections provided by the federal government.
This month marks the 33rd anniversary of the ADA, and there is quite a lot to be proud about. “‘Disability Pride’ is a re-branding,” co-chair Garr said. “The celebration started as ADA Day, but nobody knows what the acronym means. So, this has transitioned into Disability Pride.” The whole month of July, in fact, is Disability Pride Month.
Building an inclusive community through accessibility
“Disabled individuals comprise the biggest minority group,” said Janet Keeler, manager of community development for the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities (CCBDD). “Twenty-five percent of the community has a disability. If you don’t make your event accessible, you are alienating one-fourth of your potential clients.”
CCBDD says its mission is “to support and empower people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, work and play in the community,” and advancing accessibility is a key part of that.
Recently, CCBDD debuted an adult-changing-table at a sensory friendly event at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. “One elderly woman came to us in tears,” Keeler said of a participant’s gratitude. “This is a game-changer.” She said that CCBDD is in the process of creating an interactive map online as a guide to find adult-changing tables in the community. CCBDD will also bring its changing table to Disability Pride at WOW! on July 26.
These kinds of accessibility enhancements are key to the inclusion and freedom of disabled folks and their loved ones, emphasized Keeler. “It makes a difference in terms of if you can go out to an event, or stay home.”
Disability Pride event details
The July 26 event at Wade Oval will include a parade, with Cuyahoga Board of Developmental Disabilities (CBDD) hosting a tent to decorate your mobility aid beforehand. There will be other tents offered by local disability service organizations offering activities to create your own art or musical instrument. The evening will be capped with a concert by Cleveland Keys dueling pianos group and a Sign Choir from the Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
There will be ASL interpreters, food and drink vendors, and plenty of fun activities throughout the event at Wade Oval. (All activities are free; food and drink will be offered for sale.)
Event Agenda
- 4 p.m. – inclusive arts activity station
- 5:30 p.m. – opening remarks
- 5:45 p.m. – parade to the stage using the Wade Oval walkway
- 6 p.m. – concert kick-off – Cleveland Keys dueling pianos
- 7:15 p.m. – intermission – Sign Choir (Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
- 8:30 p.m. – concert by Cleveland Keys ends
If you bring an event flier, you can get a free bottle of water and ADA T-Shirt. The event will also have info about an upcoming March for Access on Saturday, September 23, at Public Square.
There is a closure on East Boulevard for construction. If you are arriving to the event by paratransit, the following addresses will get you closest to the action:
- 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, as well as various pay-to-park lots around Wade Oval. If you are taking a fixed-route (non-paratransit) GCRTA bus or train, take the Euclid Ave. Health Line if you’re coming from Public Square, or you can take the Red Line to Cedar-University Station. For accessibility accommodations, contact Chris Garr at 440-892-1001 x20 or email cgarr@youthchallengesports.com.
More Information About the Disability Rights
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, As Amended | ADA.gov
Books:
–Being Heumann by Judy Heumann
–A Disability History of the United States by Kim Nielsen
Documentaries:
–Crip Camp:A Disability Revolution on YouTube
–The Gang of 19 – ADA Movement by PBS
Podcasts:
–The Accessible Stall
–Disability Visibility Barrier Free Futures (libsyn.com)
Kelly Margaret Heikkila was a participant in The Land’s community journalism program.
We're celebrating four years of amplifying resident voices from Cleveland's neighborhoods. Will you make a donation to keep our local journalism going?
