Posts Tagged ‘children with disabilities’
Embracing Abilities: Celebrating Disability Pride Month and Advocating for Inclusion
Did you know that July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the achievements and strengths of people with disabilities? It’s also a month to remind people of the spectrum; to educate them that some with disabilities face lifelong difficulties and need support. This was started in 1990 adjacent to the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed on July 26, 1990. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability and seeks to ensure equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities. Now people worldwide observe…
Read MoreThe Brave Ones
What is bravery? I’ve been thinking about that question lately. The definition is the quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty. It goes onto give examples of a brave firefighter. A brave nurse. A brave athlete. And no doubt, yes, they are brave. They face burning buildings and medical tragedies and catch the winning pass. They do things I could never do. They are brave. But I think about bravery in another way too. Imagine going out into a world…
Read MoreDo You Ever Wonder?
“Do you ever still wonder what he would be like if he didn’t have Down syndrome?” She asked. It was an honest question from a new friend. She is several years behind me in this journey of parenting a child with Down syndrome. I vividly remember being where she is now. I remember feeling like the odd one out amongst family and friends- I was the 20-something who had a child with a disability. I watched as their children hit the milestones at the appointed time on that now dreaded…
Read MoreI Don’t Have Children, I Have Penguins
Last year, I felt more worried than usual that our program numbers were going to drop. I’m a choreographer for a theatre program for kids with disabilities who are partnered by peer mentors, a unique program called the Penguin Project. We’d been running our Penguin chapter for 4 years, and I knew the day would come when Artists and Mentors who had been with us from the beginning would start to move on, to jobs or high school activities or dance or sports. I was preparing myself for it. Seeking…
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