5 Ways to Celebrate Disability Pride Month, Even While We're Grieving
by Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer
Did you know that July was designated as Disability Pride Month because of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law on July 26, 1990?
The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in areas such as employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government services. It was a landmark moment in the fight for civil rights.
Yet this July, Disability Pride Month comes at a time of deep moral failure in our country. The GOP has passed the so-called “big beautiful bill” that slashes Medicaid—threatening home and community-based services and cutting off access for millions.
So how do we celebrate Disability Pride in a time of fear and grief?
In Jewish tradition, we turn to the value of tikkun olam—repairing the world. We may not be able to fix everything at once, but we can take meaningful action to begin repairing what feels broken. Here are a few ways to start:
Speak up. Email your elected officials. Share your story—your voice matters. Find a link here: https://p2a.co/lRPDZ5C. The League of Women Voters is another helpful resource, you can reach them by phone at: 202-429-1965
Keep disability rights visible. Post on social media. Talk with your community. With so many urgent issues in the news, it’s too easy for Medicaid cuts to fall off the radar.
Organize locally. Form task forces in your synagogue, school, or other Jewish spaces to support those affected. For instance, if SNAP benefits have been cut, could your community create a food pantry?
Get creative. Host a letter- or postcard-writing gathering—online or in person. Old-school mail must be opened and filed in every government office, including the White House. Send your messages through words, art, photos, stickers, and stories.
Grow our JDIN community. Share your favorite JDIN disability inclusion resources or stories with clergy and community leaders. Let’s keep disability rights and access front and center.
It’s natural to feel discouraged right now. But together, we can channel our grief and frustration into collective care and bold advocacy. Pride means insisting on our dignity, our visibility, and our rights—even when the road is hard.
Gabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer edits the Jewish Disability Inclusion News. She is an author, educator and spiritual director whose work focuses on spirituality, creativity and disability. Gabrielle serves as the Director of Virtual Content and Programs for Ritualwell and writes a Substack called Journey With The Seasons, a weekly practice of meditative reading with creative self-expression prompts.
At Jewish Learning Venture, Gabrielle led 'Whole Community Inclusion,' an initiative to support greater inclusion and accessibility in Jewish spaces. She is the proud recipient of the 2022 Covenant Award.