This month is Disability Pride Month, coinciding with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. This landmark law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. In 2023, the city of Long Beach passed a resolution that the month of July will be disability pride month in Long Beach.

On July 8th 2024 the city held an inaugural event where the disability pride flag was raised. Many disability advocates and including myself joined Mayor Rex Richardson and other city officials to raise the flag. The raising of the flag symbolize pride for our disabled communities in Long Beach .

The disability pride flag was designed by Ann Magill in 2019. The charcoal gray background commemorates and mourns disabled people who have died due to ableism, violence, negligence, suicide, rebellion, illness and eugenics.

Diagonal band: The light, connected band of stripes cut straight through the darkness (i.e., barriers). The slanted formation is a symbolic contrast to the vertical walls and horizontal ceilings that resonate with feelings of isolation among some members of the disability community. The other colors of the Disability pride flag represent the different kind of disabilities.*

Green: This stripe signifies sensory disabilities, including blindness, deafness, lack of smell, lack of taste and other sensory conditions.

Blue: This stripe represents those with psychiatric disabilities, such as anxiety, depression and other mental disorders.

White: This central stripe connects to persons with invisible disabilities and/or undiagnosed conditions.

Gold: This stripe signifies those with cognitive and intellectual disabilities and other neurodivergence.

Red: This final line denotes persons with physical disabilities

This event meant so much to the disability community. I am proud that our city acknowledges that representation and inclusion matter.

Some see disabilities as shameful. Following the medical model, they see disabilities as only problems to be fixed. In the disability community we see ourselves, we need to accept and embrace and not to be ashamed of disability.  And we need to teach  this  to our children that having a disability is okay. Everyone is different and unique.

Here are 5 ways to celebrate Disability Pride Month from our friends at Disability Pride Pennsylvania.

Join us for the 3rd Annual Lbc Disability Pride Celebration on Friday, July 26th from 5-7pm at Harvey Milk Promenade Park!

*https://www.ameridisability.com/heres-what-the-disability-pride-flag-represents/

Kim Vuong is a community liaison at Tichenor Clinic for Children. Learn more about Kim from this past interview!