Did you know that July is Disability Pride Month? If you didn’t, you aren’t alone. While there have been Disability Pride celebrations going back to the very first one held in Boston in 1990, it is not as widely recognized or observed as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American Pacific Islander Month, or LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations. July is designated as Disability Pride Month because the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed on July 26, 1990, and this historical piece of legislation laid the foundation for disability rights and advocacy work. While the ADA established a legal requirement to provide the same access and opportunities for people with disabilities, almost 34 years later there is still much work to be done.
Approximately 13% of Americans have a disability of some kind. This percentage increases as the population ages, with 24% of people over the age of 64 and 46% of people over the age of 75 reported as having a disability. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 22.5% of adults with disabilities were employed, and this abysmal number is actually the highest that it has been since these numbers were first reported in 2008. 1
There has been an increased focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) over the last several years – although these efforts are continuously under attack by those who either don’t understand the work or are just flat out against it. Now why anyone would be against creating a world where everyone feels included and as if they belong is beyond my understanding, but let me not digress. For those that are doing this work, the focus is often on concepts such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexual identity, and even religion. Disability is often either an afterthought or completely forgotten in these spaces.
People with disabilities intersect with every other marginalized group, yet they are often not specifically included in an organization’s DEIB efforts. That is relatively easy to see if your company made sure to recognize the aforementioned history/pride months but doesn’t have anything planned for Disability Pride. The good news is that it’s not too late! Knowledge is power, and if you are learning about Disability Pride for the first time, it’s only the first few days of July. There is plenty of time to be purposeful in your actions to recognize its importance.
If you would like to take action, but are unsure of how to proceed – I Can Help! As a business consultant who advocates for the disability community, I can partner with your organization to provide a meaningful experience for your employees this Disability Pride month. I am so committed to this cause that I am offering 10% off of of my fees for any services, presentations, or workshops that your company would like to book in July.
Disability Pride is here. Don’t let the month go by without recognizing it.
- U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics Summary. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/disabl.nr0.htm ↩︎
Kimberly Frey Consulting 
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