March Is Disability Awareness Month

National Disability Awareness Month is coming up this March. This month is meant to highlight those with disabilities. In addition to celebrating them, we also use this month to address their fight for equality and equity.

March was named the month for Disability Awareness in 1987, after president Ronald Regan declared Proclamation 5613. This would be a month to provide the general public with an understanding of those who may be handicapped. It would also encourage the public to motivate the disabled and help provide them with opportunities.

This movement let’s everyone know that everyone deserves the right to a meaningful life, one where they feel productive and important. Also, as they fight to feel included, we can use this month to acknowledge the contributions the disabled have made to their communities.

How Do We Celebrate The Disabled?

There are several ways you can celebrate and educate yourself during National Disability month. You can do these activities at home, work and school. The most important part is to include others in these activities to actually spread awareness.

You can celebrate with a movie night. There are multiple movies and documentaries that focus on the themes of education and awareness. This can even be entertaining! Some movies that inform society about disabilities are, “Crip Camp”, “Right Footed” and “When I Walk”. This is one of the easiest ways to celebrate and learn about those who spend their lives disabled. It may even help you see life from their perspective.

Another way to celebrate is to support a disability charity. You could gather a group and volunteer. This would give you hands on experience and also be a direct form of recognition to those who are disabled. If you feel you don’t have much time on your hands, you can also donate to these charities. Both of these efforts for charity would go directly to the cause. Also, when you show up, you’re not only offering support, but you’re also becoming informed and educated through the experience. What better way to celebrate than with the group that’s being celebrated?

Last but not least, you can also celebrate by posting about disability awareness month on social media. There are millions of people online, and most information is usually spread through social media anyway. It only takes a few seconds to post something to your story, make a permanent post, or even share a quote. These are some simple ways to celebrate!

Agencies Involved

There are multiple agencies who are out spreading awareness and advocating for those with disabilities. The companies include DDS (Department of Developmental Services), SAC (Self Advocate Coordinators) and more. Recently DDs and SAC have partnered to launch campaigns such as “We are People – Call Me by My Name”.

This campaign pushes society to learn the names of those who are disabled. In society, it is normal to call these people “handicapped”, a “patient” or address these people as “them”. The Call Me by My Name campaign is pushing us to acknowledge that they have a name and to use it. It pushes society to acknowledge the fact that people shouldn’t be referred to by their physical condition and that it’s not normal.

SAC’s are also inviting communities to come pledge. This pledge is to commit people to seeing a human with disabilities as an actual person and not by their physical appearance. This a challenge for society to challenge themselves!

Disabled People Are People Too

Overall, it’s important to celebrate others how we would want to be celebrated, and it’s very clear that those who are handicapped might not be celebrated enough. It’s important that everyone is treated equal, and it’s very clear the disable have been ignored for a long time.

It’s important to recognize their struggle and encourage them moving forward, because they deserve it just like the ones who are different from them. So, when March comes around be ready to educate yourselves and others. There is a lot we don’t get to see from their lives and their point of view!

Written by Cynthia Thomas

Sources:

American Bar Association: How to Celebrate NDEAM

Department of Defense Education Activity: NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH

State of Connecticut: March is National Disability Awareness Month

Top and Featured Image courtesy of Paul Wilkinson‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License