Nearly 2,500 march for disability rights in Chicago's Disability Pride Parade
Nearly 2,500 people gathered on Saturday morning, July 23, 2011, for the 8th annual Disability Pride Parade in Chicago's Daley Plaza. The event and another in San Jose coincides with the anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Adam Heenan (left) and Jim Cavallero at the Disability Pride Parade on July 23, 2011 in downtown Chicago. Substance photo by Garth Liebhaber.The Disability Pride Parade is an annual event that celebrates and strengthens the pride, power, and unity of people with disabilities, their families, and allies, and serves to generate national visibility for the disability community.
Rahnee Patrick, an organizer for Access Living in Chicago one of the organizational sponsors of the parade and the various weekend events surrounding the parade noted, "The parade was alot of fun. There have been many recent attacks on services recently, so it was really great to see many more people watching this year."
CORE teachers Jim Cavallero and Adam Heenan (this reporter) brought out the CORE banner in support of special education students, educators, and teachers with disabilities.
"We all work with students with special needs," noted Garth Liebhaber, a teacher at Hammond Elementary. "The thing that struck me was the theme of diversity and empowerment, and CORE is an integral part of that. This is an extension of our teaching activities."
COREs attendance did not go un-noticed. Dick Smith of CPS Office of Special Services walked directly up to CORE members to thank us for coming out. "I want to meet with you anytime," Smith said to this reporter and Jim Cavallero.
“Many people believe that disability is contagious,” commented organizer parade Janice Stashwick. “But we in the disability community know that is not true. But disability PRIDE can be contagious."
Find out more about the Disability Pride Parade at www.disabilityprideparade.org
