The Disability Pride Month theme for 2026 is “The World Works Better With Us,” selected by The Arc’s National Council of Self-Advocates. The Arc was founded in 1953 to advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The organization’s statement is about inclusion: People with disabilities have the right to be seen, valued, supported, respected and included at schools, workplaces, healthcare, transportation and in public life. When this happens, the community is better for everyone.
Background
According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are more than 70 million adults in the United States and over 2.3 million adults in Michigan with some type of disability.
July was chosen as Disability Pride Month to coincide with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed on July 26, 1990. Disability Pride Month honors the history, experiences and achievements of the disability community.
The first Disability Pride Month celebration took place in 1990 in Boston. In 2004, Chicago hosted its first Disability Pride Parade, according to The Arc blog. It was not until July 2015 that the first official celebration of Disability Pride Month took place, marking the 25th anniversary of the ADA, according to the Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center of the Columbia University Medical School.
Acceptance of people with disabilities has been a long journey. For centuries, they were segregated from the public, stripped of their rights, denied education and often institutionalized. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was a landmark federal civil rights law. It was one of the first that prohibited disability-based discrimination. Section 504 of the act prohibited discrimination by federal employers and contractors, and by programs and organizations receiving federal funding. The U.S. government did not implement the law that year, nor for four years following its passage.
In response to the government’s inaction, individuals with disabilities staged a protest. The San Francisco 504 Sit-In took place in 1977 at the U.S. Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) Building. At 28 days, it was the longest non-violent occupation of a federal building in U.S. history. The law was finally implemented on April 28, 1977. Protestors left the grounds on April 30 after receiving confirmation that the law was signed.
Disability Pride Flag
Ann Magill, a writer and activist with cerebral palsy, designed the Disability Pride Flag in 2016. The flag’s design symbolized acceptance and honor of each person’s uniqueness. Her inspiration for the flag followed her attendance at the ADA’s 20th anniversary event. The celebration was not public. It took place in the basement and grounds of an independent living center.
Each disability is unique, and Weinberg Palsy Center reports in its July 2023 blog post, “History of the Disability Pride Flag,” that the original flag design featured bright, zig-zagging stripes in blue, yellow, white, red, and green on a black background. The zig-zag design represented people with disabilities having to maneuver around barriers in their daily lives. After learning that the flag was triggering symptoms in people with visual disabilities, Magill redesigned it in 2021 with straight lines and muted colors. Each color represents different types of disabilities (red=physical, gold=neurodiversity, white=invisible or undiagnosed, blue=emotional and psychiatric, green=sensory). Magill did not copyright the flag and placed the image in the public domain for use by everyone.
Emotional and physical barriers
The disability community continues to face day-to-day challenges. According to the CDC, how members of the public perceive and communicate with individuals with disabilities is the key to overcoming negative attitudes and/or stereotypes. Too, physical barriers to mobility and hearing interfere with everyday tasks and enjoyment.
When people are uncomfortable communicating with a person who has a visible disability, they may ignore them, talk to them but avoid eye contact, or talk down to them. The solution is to view each person as an equal, treat people with respect and speak to everyone the way you would want to be spoken to. Remember that acceptance is a challenge for all of us.
Physical barriers are frustrating for those trying to navigate them. When you are out in public, think about how accessible, or inaccessible, the area is to someone in a wheelchair and those using crutches, walkers or other mobility devices. Narrow bathroom stalls, hallways and shopping aisles; tight doorways; steep ramps; and “accessible” parking located far from the entrance all make navigation difficult for those with mobility issues. Does your movie theater use assistive listening devices or captioning for those with hearing impairments? How does the presence of curbs and the silence of electric cars impact people crossing the street who are legally blind? Ask yourself what we can do to remove these challenges and barriers.
For a list of state disability programs and services, go to: michigan.gov/disabilityresources/state-prog.
Show your support for Disability Pride Month.
Attend one of the following western Michigan events.
July 22. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Celebration 2026 will be held 4-7 p.m. at the Special Olympics Michigan Unified Sports & Inclusion Center, 160 68th St. S.W., Grand Rapids. Educational activities, entertainment, and family-friendly fun will mark the anniversary of the ADA signing.
July 24. Annual ADA Celebration 2026 will be held 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market, 1204 Bank St., Kalamazoo. Free event includes entertainment, family-friendly activities, Disability Arts & Crafts Market, food and information booths.
Sensory Sunday is held 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on the second Sunday of every month at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. N.W. Regular museum admission applies. This is a low-sensory experience, with reduced lighting and sound, a low-sensory planetarium and quiet spaces. Fidget tools and headphones are available for checkout.
Grace Grogan was born and raised in Michigan. In 2019, she began living and traveling full-time in an RV with her partner, Paul Cannon. In 2025, she settled in Arizona, returning to the beautiful Great Lakes State every summer.
