Denise Jess, Amy Wurf, Kathleen Callen and Nate Wegehaupt were among the Council staffers on hand at last year’s Disability Pride Festival in Madison.
Throughout July, communities across Wisconsin are celebrating Disability Pride Month. Last year, we published this article about what Disability Pride means and why we celebrate it. We hope you are able to learn a bit more about this important observance, and that you have an opportunity to attend a Disability Pride event near you. At the bottom of this article is an updated list of Disability Pride events happening around the state.
July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the diverse community of people with disabilities, reflect on progress that has been made in empowering folks to live with dignity, and re-energize ourselves for the work that lies ahead in building genuinely inclusive communities. Disability Pride has been celebrated for over 30 years, commemorating the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.
“Historically, people with disabilities have been systemically isolated and institutionalized, so to be in the community together celebrating our diversity is really a radical act of love for the disability community,” says Rebecca Hoyt, Disability Rights and Services Specialist with the City of Madison.
While the ADA was a great step forward, there is still much work to be done. Major disparities persist in transportation, web access, physical barriers and many other areas that prevent the more than one million Wisconsinites with disabilities from fully participating in society.
“Honoring Disability Pride is important to us at the Council, because it’s about celebrating the inherent worth of all people, including people with blindness, vision loss and other disabilities,” says Denise Jess, Council Executive Director.
The population of people with disabilities consists of folks from all different backgrounds; people of color, low-income people, unhoused people and LGBTQ+ people, and individuals from all walks of life all make up significant portions of the disabled community. It’s important to recognize that those from already marginalized groups face further barriers to society when they have a disability. We at the Council work hard for disability justice—the drive to build a world where every person with a disability has the opportunity to live a self-directed, satisfying life.
“Our mission to promote the dignity and empowerment of people with vision loss ties solidly to disability justice,” Denise says. “We support people in building skills to enhance independence and confidence; we advocate to open doors and remove barriers; and we educate to reduce bias and open hearts and minds. We recognize that not all people with vision loss identify as having a disability, and that the ability to self-identify is also a critically important part of disability pride and justice.”
“The Disability Rights movement was largely inspired by other civil rights movements around race and gender,” Rebecca says. “Unfortunately, a lot of agencies that provide services for people with disabilities tend to provide fewer services to BIPOC people with disabilities. I think that when we center the voices of people who are marginalized in our movement, everyone benefits.”
Madison’s Disability Pride Festival is on Saturday, July 26 from noon to 5 p.m. at Warner Park. This year’s event will feature a special display from the Madison Children’s Museum; a “Clay on the Move” event from Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR); adaptive sports demonstrations; and a performance by Forward Marching Band. There will be over 70 exhibitors on hand, including the Council. Visit our table and say hello! Learn more at DisabilityPrideMadison.org/Festival-2025.
There will also be a Disability Pride Festival at Lake Pacawa Park in Plover, Wisconsin on Saturday, August 2. The event is hosted by Midstate Independent Living Choices Inc. and will include workshops, adaptive kayaking and cycling demonstrations, vendors, and more. Learn more at MILC-Inc.org/Event/Disability-Pride-Festival.
Later in the fall, La Crosse will hold their own Disability Pride Festival on October 19 at Logan High School. The event is hosted by the Disability Action Network and will feature presentations, performances, community art projects, and more. Learn more at DisabilityActionNetwork.com/DisabilityPrideFest.