Emma Riahi
July is Disability Pride Month — a time to honor the history, achievements, and contributions of people with disabilities, while also recognizing the ongoing work toward inclusion and accessibility.
It’s a celebration of identity and visibility, and a reminder that disability is a natural part of human diversity. At Neighborhood House, we’re proud to stand with the disability community — this month and every month.
To mark the occasion, we’re sharing an excerpt from a blog post by The Arc, a national leader in disability advocacy:
Why and How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Month is a time to recognize the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of people with disabilities. It affirms that disability is a natural and valuable part of human diversity—not a deficit or condition to be fixed.
More than 1 in 4 adults in the United States—over 70 million people—have a disability. This month calls on everyone to promote inclusion and ensure people with disabilities are accepted exactly as they are, without conditions.
What Is Disability Pride Month?
Disability Pride Month is an annual observance in July that celebrates people with disabilities, commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and promotes disability culture and visibility.
Observed every July, Disability Pride Month recognizes the importance of the ADA, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990. It highlights disability culture, history, and community pride. This month challenges the harmful idea that people with disabilities need to conform to norms to live meaningful lives. Their lives are just as full, valuable, and worthy of respect—no more, no less.
Why Celebrate Disability Pride Month?
Many people with disabilities still face barriers to being fully included and valued. Ableism is often ignored, but its effects are real. It limits access to education, jobs, health care, and respect.
Disability Pride Month challenges that. At its core, Disability Pride is about being accepted on our own terms. It says disability is not something to hide or fix—it’s part of who we are. Everyone deserves inclusion, rights, and respect, without having to earn them.
How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month
- Ways to Connect With People With Disabilities: Spend time learning from people with disabilities in real life and online.
- Visit The Arc’s story hub and Instagram Reels to hear directly from people with disabilities sharing their experiences.
- Watch for disability-led stories in the news, like these features from Good Housekeeping, USA Today, and PBS NewsHour.
- In everyday life, just say hi. Representation and connection start with visibility and respect.
- How to Learn Disability History and Culture: Understand the roots and richness of Disability Pride by diving into disability history, rights movements, and cultural contributions.
- Learn about key moments in the disability rights movement from UC Berkley’s archive and The Arc’s history.
- Learn from people with disabilities through media like Crip Camp, CODA, Demystifying Disability, and Disability Visibility.
- Follow disabled activists on social media and listen to what they share—not just during Disability Pride Month, but year-round.
- How to Advocate for Disability Rights and Inclusion: Disability rights are under attack—from cuts to Medicaid and Social Security, to threats against IDEA, Section 504, and a resurgence of the R-word. Here’s how you can show up and make a difference:
- Email your elected officials. Tell them disability rights are non-negotiable.
- Talk to disabled people in your community. Ask what matters most—and back them up.
- Challenge ableism. Push back on harmful language and outdated thinking every time you encounter it.
- Teach the next generation. Use age-appropriate tools from TODAY.com, HuffPost, and Cincinnati Children’s.
Read the full article here:
Why and How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month – The Arc
Neighborhood House and Disability Inclusion
At Neighborhood House, we work with individuals of all ages and abilities to build inclusive, equitable communities:
- Information & Resource Referral
Personalized help to connect individuals and families with aging and disability resources, available in multiple languages. - Health Homes Care Coordination
Care coordinators assist eligible Medicaid clients in managing health goals and chronic conditions, with services offered in clients’ homes or preferred locations. - Long-Term Care Medicaid Case Management
Case management for Medicaid recipients receiving in-home caregiving, provided in culturally and linguistically appropriate ways (languages include Arabic, Amharic, Farsi, Oromo, Tigrinya, Ukrainian). - Family Caregiver Support
Support groups, training, and resources for unpaid caregivers of loved ones with disabilities, available in multiple languages. - Community Living Connections – South King County
A network connecting providers to share resources and support older adults and people with disabilities in South King County. - Early Learning
In our early learning programs, nearly 30% of children have diagnosed or undiagnosed special needs. We provide developmental and health screenings, early intervention services, daily instruction in science, math, literacy, and social-emotional learning, plus Family Advocates who assist caregivers with goals and resources.
We’re proud to support the disability community this month and every month — not just with services, but with a commitment to equity, visibility, and respect.
Need services? Start by calling our help line at 206-923-6480 or fill out a help request form and we will contact you.
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