Cincinnati and Hamilton County are celebrating Disability Pride Month this July with a full lineup of events. The month officially kicked off Tuesday with a flag-raising outside City Hall and a formal proclamation from Mayor Aftab Pureval.
More than 25 local organizations have joined forces for Disability Pride Cincy, a regional effort that honors the Americans with Disabilities Act – signed into law on July 26, 1990 – and highlights the rights, contributions and identities of people with disabilities. The initiative also promotes continued progress toward equity, inclusion and accessibility.
Events span film, art, music and advocacy. Highlights include:
- Film screening: The Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival will show “Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution and Forced Perspective” at 7 p.m. July 17 at The Kenwood Theatre.
- Opera night: Cincinnati Opera will host Access Night at 7:30 p.m. July 25 at Music Hall.
- Community celebration: “Accessibility for All: Celebrating Disability Pride & the ADA” will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. July 26 at OTR Stillhouse on Branch Street.
A full calendar is available at disabilitypridecincy.org, and printed copies can be found at all Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library branches.
Organizers are encouraging local governments, businesses and nonprofits to fly the Disability Pride flag throughout the month. Originally designed in 2019 by artist Ann Magill and later updated, the flag features five colors – each symbolizing a different part of the disability experience:
- Red for physical disabilities
- Gold for intellectual and developmental disabilities
- White for invisible or undiagnosed disabilities
- Blue for mental illness
- Green for sensory disabilities
Partners in Disability Pride Cincy include Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services, LADD, the City of Cincinnati, ArtsWave, Cincinnati Museum Center, Center for Independent Living Options, Visionaries + Voices, and the University of Cincinnati’s Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, among others…