July is Disability Pride Month
July celebrates Disability Pride Month, which honors the history, achievements, and experiences of people with disabilities.
People with disabilities comprise approximately 15% of the world’s population, representing all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In the United States, people with disabilities comprise approximately 27% of the population, making it the largest and most diverse minority in the U.S., according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An estimated 61+ million Americans face daily challenges related to hearing, vision, mobility, cognition, self-care, or independent living. This makes them a significant part of every community and population.
Disability Pride Month is a response and counteraction against ableism* and social stigma that aims to promote visibility and awareness of the disability community. It is a time for the disability community to come together and be heard. Disability Pride has been described by AmeriDisability, an online publication dedicated to the disability community, as “accepting and honoring each person’s uniqueness and seeing it as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity.”
“Disability Pride Month is a time for us to recognize and honor the diverse experiences and contributions of the disability community," said Dr. Adam Hazlett, HFC humanities instructor and advocate for the disability community. "It’s a month dedicated to amplifying voices, advocating for inclusion, and celebrating the resilience and achievements that define the spirit of disability pride."
History of Disability Pride Month
On March 12, 1990, more than 1,000 people marched from the White House to the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., demanding that Congress pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
As they arrived at the Capitol, approximately 60 activists demonstrated the inaccessibility of public spaces by either getting out of their wheelchairs or putting aside their mobility aids to crawl up the 83 stone steps of the Capitol. This later became known as the “Capitol Crawl”, one of the critical events leading to the passage of the ADA. On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law. 2025 marks its 35th anniversary.
On October 6, 1990, Boston held the first Disability Pride Day. The first known official celebration of Disability Pride Month occurred in July 2015. Since then, other major cities have celebrated Disability Pride Month with parades and festivities.
In 2022, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer officially declared July as Disability Pride Month in Michigan. This marked the first time the state government formally recognized the month-long commemoration.
Disability advocates and activists strive to create an inclusive and accessible society that enables individuals with disabilities to live fulfilling lives and participate in their communities. Activities during Disability Pride Month are aimed at inspiring citizens to celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities, promote inclusion, and foster greater respect and understanding.
Hazlett, who was diagnosed with autism in 2020, is a member of the Board of Directors for the Self-Advocates of Michigan (SAM), a division of the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council (MiDDC).
“Disability Pride Month is not about seeking admiration or proving our worth. It’s about reclaiming space, history, and humanity. It’s about being seen, heard, and unapologetically human in a world that still tries to erase us,” said Hazlett. “Too often, disabled people are celebrated only when we overcome barriers that shouldn’t exist in the first place. But this month is a powerful reminder that we don’t have to earn our place. For disabled people, pride is not a luxury. It is resistance, it is survival, and it is the first step toward justice. Celebrating Disability Pride means rejecting the myth that access is optional and belonging is extra. It is a call to center our stories, protect our rights, and affirm our inherent value.”
This year's theme is belonging and visibility
The 2025 theme of Disability Pride month is "We Belong Here, and We’re Here to Stay." It emphasizes resilience and addresses growing concerns about the rights of the disability community.
Michigan will celebrate Disability Pride month with Breaking Barriers: Disability Pride Month Community Celebration on Tuesday, July 29, from noon to 5:00 p.m. in Lansing (location and more information are being determined). This event will feature an art exhibit, poetry slam, community art project, sign language lessons, and more. MiDDC and SAM are the key organizers.
Detroit Disability Power will host the 2025 Disability Pride Cookout on Friday, July 25, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the LOVE Building, 4731 Grand River Ave. in Detroit. DDP works to ensure the full inclusion of people with disabilities in Metro Detroit. For questions or more information, contact info@DetroitDisabilityPower.org.
Disability Pride Flag
In 2019, Ann Magill, a writer with cerebral palsy, created the original Disability Pride flag. She had attended an event for the 20th anniversary of the ADA and expressed her disappointment that it was confined to the basement and grounds of an independent living center instead of being out in public. This inspired her to create a flag to create greater awareness.
Originally, the flag featured brightly colored zigzagging stripes with a black background. The zigzagging stripes represented how people with disabilities have to maneuver around the barriers they face. Unfortunately, this design risked causing symptoms in people with visually triggered disabilities, such as seizures.
With input from the disability community, Magill refined the flag’s look in 2021. In this new version of the flag, the stripes are straight lines and have been reordered to accommodate people with red-green colorblindness (see flag design, above). The colors have also been muted to be visually safe and inclusive. Magill waived the copyright to her design, which is now in the public domain.
The colored stripes are placed diagonally across the flag to show how people with disabilities have to cut across barriers in society. Each color of the flag represents an aspect of disability, and the overall design suggests light and creativity cutting through the darkness.
- Black background: Represents mourning for victims of ableist violence and abuse.
- Red stripe: Represents people with physical disabilities.
- Gold stripe: Represents neurodivergence, referring to a person whose brain processes information in a way that is not typical of most people.
- White stripe: Represents people with invisible and undiagnosed disabilities.
- Blue stripe: Represents people with psychiatric disabilities.
- Green stripe: Represents people with sensory disabilities.
“The Disability Pride Flag is more than a symbol. It is a visual commitment to the truth of our existence,” said Hazlett. “In a time when our lives, rights, and autonomy are being debated, the flag is not just a banner: it is a boundary line. We will not go back. Every stripe of the flag tells a story of pain, resistance, and brilliance. Together, they wave in defiance of erasure. The Disability Pride Flag doesn’t quietly ask for visibility; it demands it! Because every disabled life is worthy, radical, and unrepeatable. Now more than ever, we need this flag flying high to remind the world that we are here and we are not going anywhere.”
HFC resources
Resources are available at HFC to support members of the disability community.
- Assisted Learning Services provides accessible education to students with disabilities. Contact ALS at 313-845-9617 or als@hfcc.edu.
- Counseling Center: Counselors can help you improve your ability to make healthy decisions, provide a helpful viewpoint for whatever you’re experiencing, and offer coping mechanisms. Contact Dr. Brenda Hildreth at 313-845-9611 or bjhildreth@hfcc.edu.
- Student Conduct and Title IX: The Title IX office supports our community in creating and sustaining an environment that is free from all forms of sexual misconduct and discrimination. Contact HFC Title IX Coordinator Munira Kassim at 313-845-6301 or mmkassim@hfcc.edu.
- Campus Safety provides assistance, safety, and crime prevention services to the community. Call Campus Safety at 9911 from a campus phone or 313-845-9630 from an outside phone. Campus Safety can also be reached through your HFC Reach Out App and by email at campussafety@hfcc.edu.
If you need assistance that you do not see here, please reach out to Assisted Learning Services above, and they will be able to direct you.
“Disability Pride Month reminds us that accessibility isn’t just a checkbox. It's a catalyst for innovation, belonging, and systemic change,” said Hazlett. “I’m proud to be part of a community like Dearborn, where the work of inclusion isn’t just talked about. It’s being lived, shaped, and led by disabled residents daily.”
*"Ableism" is defined as bias or discrimination in favor of people who do not experience disabilities.