We all have many identities. There are great reasons to identify as disabled. Embracing all your identities and seeing how they all intersect helps define who you are. I am an adult who is a Methodist, consider myself to be an artist, etc. I am proud of all my identities including the fact that I am a man with Cerebral Palsy. Seeing how all of these identities interconnect makes me feel great. I am also proud to be part of a community with historic ties to the CILs and people like Ed Roberts, activist, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Justin Dart Jr., father of the ADA, and Judith Heumann, international leader in the disability community.
Disability culture intertwines with feminists, presidents, and many other people in history. There are plenty of great reasons to identify as a person with a disability. As you identify with this community you might stop being shy about asking for things you may need, such as AT. It is important to self-advocate. We are a community of self-advocates, with a history to be proud of. When you look at Disability History, you would find advocates holding the longest protest in 1973 to get section 504 of the rehabilitation act, a civil rights statute, enacted. We promoted person-first and identity-first language and with a lot of work we got the ADA of 1990 enacted. These are examples of actions that makes our community stronger.
It may be confusing to understand Disability Pride for the first time, but Disability Pride comes from celebrating our own heritage, culture, unique experiences, and contributions. I know that for me, when I acknowledged my disability I felt more connected to a community of people with disabilities, which makes me proud. Sometimes when you’re young it is easy not to feel unique, but when you find an identity, you find a community. Such as having a faith and having a church. Now, I see my disability as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity.
Identifying as a person with a disability helps me to acknowledge areas where I need help and ask for things that could help me with living. One example is Assistive Technology. This is something you can read about in the MDRC AT blog. When you identify as a person with a Disability you will find there are many areas to be proud of, such as having a history, being part of a culture or just being open to ask for help. So be Strong and Proud!
Disability culture intertwines with feminists, presidents, and many other people in history. There are plenty of great reasons to identify as a person with a disability. As you identify with this community you might stop being shy about asking for things you may need, such as AT. It is important to self-advocate. We are a community of self-advocates, with a history to be proud of. When you look at Disability History, you would find advocates holding the longest protest in 1973 to get section 504 of the rehabilitation act, a civil rights statute, enacted. We promoted person-first and identity-first language and with a lot of work we got the ADA of 1990 enacted. These are examples of actions that makes our community stronger.
It may be confusing to understand Disability Pride for the first time, but Disability Pride comes from celebrating our own heritage, culture, unique experiences, and contributions. I know that for me, when I acknowledged my disability I felt more connected to a community of people with disabilities, which makes me proud. Sometimes when you’re young it is easy not to feel unique, but when you find an identity, you find a community. Such as having a faith and having a church. Now, I see my disability as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity.
Identifying as a person with a disability helps me to acknowledge areas where I need help and ask for things that could help me with living. One example is Assistive Technology. This is something you can read about in the MDRC AT blog. When you identify as a person with a Disability you will find there are many areas to be proud of, such as having a history, being part of a culture or just being open to ask for help. So be Strong and Proud!
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