A message from PSAC NCR’s Members with Disabilities Access Committee and Pride Committee:
Throughout July, PSAC-NCR is proud to acknowledge and celebrate Disability Pride Month! This important month is a time to honor the rich history, diverse identities, and significant contributions of both the disability and pride communities. It’s a moment to challenge stigma, advocate for accessibility, and affirm that disability is a natural and valued part of human diversity.
Disability Pride Month resonates deeply with our union’s commitment to equity and inclusion. It highlights the vital presence of people with disabilities and all aspects of our society and workplaces. It serves as a powerful call to action against ableism and discrimination.
This year, as we celebrate Disability Pride Month, we also recognize the crucial intersectionality between the disability community and the broader pride community. Just as Pride Month in June celebrates 2SLGBTQIA+ identity, Disability Pride Month champions the dignity and self-determination of people with disabilities. Many individuals hold both these identities, and their experiences highlight the shared struggle for acceptance, equality, and liberation.
Disability justice is a shared responsibility. Together, we must continue to, challenge ableism in our workplaces and our union, promote accessibility in all its forms, and uplift the voices and leadership of disabled, queer, and racialized members.
Let us celebrate this month with pride – disability pride, queer pride, and union pride – and let us recommit to building a truly inclusive and equitable world.
In solidarity,
Karen Kenniphaas
Chair
Members with Disabilities Access Committee (MDAC)
Lydia Picknell
Chair
Pride Committee