Disability Pride Month

The ADA is a civil rights law. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by 89,004 state and local governments (including Montgomery County) and 7,000,000 businesses and non-profits. Other federal laws preceded the ADA and have helped set precedents for the ADA. The 1968 Architectural Barriers Act applies to federal sites and facilities. Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act applies to states, local governments, businesses and nonprofits that receive federal funding. Many states, including Maryland, have state laws similar to the ADA. 

Montgomery Parks are regulated under Title II of the ADA that applies to state and local government. Title II includes regulations that implement the non-discrimination requirements of the law. Additionally, Title II requires Montgomery County to adhere to the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, which set minimum requirements for newly designed or altered government buildings and sites. The Title II regulations and the Standards must be used together in order to provide accessible programs and services. 

Disability Pride Month is an annual observance in July that celebrates people with disabilities, promotes visibility, and commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990. The first Disability Pride celebration was held in Boston in 1990; the first parade occurred in Chicago in 2004. The month focuses on promoting the belief that disability is a natural part of human diversity, aiming to normalize it rather than see it as something to be “fixed”. Events are held nationwide, including parades, educational workshops, and community gatherings. 

Montgomery Parks is celebrating Disability Pride Month by hosting a variety of inclusive, hands-on programs designed specifically for individuals with disabilities. Throughout the month, participants are invited to try activities such as adaptive kayaking, Trail Trekkers, Campfire Chats, adaptive mountain biking, and more. Each program is designed to promote access, joy, and connection in our parks. 

To mark the celebration, we’ll also feature a Disability Pride display “Snapshots of Disability Pride” at select programs. Participants can take Polaroid photos and share what disability pride means to them, helping create a display that reflects community, identity, and pride.