Title
Proclamation Celebrating Disability Pride Month
Memorandum
WHEREAS, July commemorates Disability Pride Month as a celebration of the diverse experiences, perspectives, and contributions that people with disabilities add to the world; and
WHEREAS, Disability Pride Month strives to destigmatize disability as a negative, unnatural aspect of life and foster understanding and acceptance of that part of our identities; and
WHEREAS, Disability Pride Month is a reminder that we are more than our disabilities and that disability intersects with other celebratory characteristics of our identities, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and other factors; and
WHEREAS, for those who are not affected by disability, Disability Pride Month promotes full inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities and highlights the value people with disabilities bring to our communities, workforce, academic environments, voting polls, and overall society; and
WHEREAS, people with disabilities are the largest minority group in America and one of the largest minority groups in the world; and
WHEREAS, at some point in life, almost all individuals will experience disability; and
WHEREAS, the month of July also acknowledges the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects the disability community from discrimination, particularly as it relates to voting, employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services; and
WHEREAS, living with disabilities can be difficult and isolating, Disability Pride Month is an opportunity to recognize the strengths and achievements of people with disabilities.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Christopher Taylor, Mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan, do hereby proclaim the month of July 2024 as Disability Pride Month in the City of Ann Arbor.
I hereby set my hand and seal
this 15th day of July 2024
Christopher Taylor
Mayor of the City of Ann Arbor