“Come one, come all,” says Dr. Nakia Wiley, the vice president of Disability Pride Madison, a local non-profit organization getting set to host the 10th annual Disability Pride Festival on Saturday, July 29, noon-5 p.m. at Warner Park. This is an opportunity to enjoy free food, games, art, music and much more with members of the disabled communities and their allies.
Dr. Wiley states that the mission of Disability Pride Madison, “is to work as a cross-disability organization to support and celebrate and to promote disability justice in Madison, Wisconsin and beyond.”
She goes on to say that Disability Pride Madison, which hosts disability-focused events and spaces, is dedicated to centering the lives and experiences of those with disabilities.
The Disability Pride Festival will feature key speakers from other community organizations such as 100 Black Men of Madison on raising awareness for sickle cell anemia as well as leaders from the City of Madison Civil Rights Department. The event will feature an exhibition of artwork from over 90 participants and members of Madison’s disabled community. There will also be many craftspeople and a raffle.
Dr. Wiley and Disability Pride Madison continue to say “no, thank you” to the stigmatization and mischaracterization of those with disabilities. “What we know specifically in the Black community is that we are disproportionately treated when we have a disability, we are more likely to be incarcerated and subjugated here in Madison,” Wiley says.
Disability Pride Madison recognizes that the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, enacted 33 years ago, was a great start and they continue to build on the legacy of inclusion and education surrounding disability justice.
Saturday’s 10th Annual Disability Pride event is a free event and there is no pre-registration needed. Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals are welcome.
