Selected by The Arc’s National Council of Self-Advocates (NCSA), a disabled-led national council, the 2026 Disability Pride Month theme is “The World Works Better with Us.”
How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month
Whether you’re a person with a disability, a family member, an educator, an employer, or a neighbor, here are practical ways to celebrate and support inclusion in your community.
- Connect With People With Disabilities: Spend time with people with disabilities in your life and community, at events, at work, at school, and online.
- Visit The Arc’s story hub and Instagram reels to learn directly from people with disabilities sharing their experiences.
- Watch for disability-led stories in the news, like these features from the New York Times, USA Today and PBS NewsHour.
- In everyday life, just say hi. Representation and connection start with visibility and respect.
- Learn Disability History and Culture: Understand the roots of Disability Pride by learning the history of disability rights and cultural contributions.
- Learn about key moments in the disability rights movement from UC Berkeley’s archive and The Arc’s history.
- Learn from people with disabilities through media like Crip Camp, CODA, Demystifying Disability, and Disability Visibility.
- Follow people with disabilities on social media to learn from their experiences and perspectives.
- Advocate for Disability Rights and Inclusion: Disability rights are under attack, from cuts to Medicaid to threats to special education to the resurgence of the R-word. Here’s how to take action and make a difference:
- Email or call your elected officials. Ask them to protect Medicaid, special education, and disability civil rights. Tell them disability rights are nonnegotiable.
- Donate to The Arc and other organizations led by and for people with disabilities. Your support helps fund advocacy, legal work, and community-based solutions.
- Talk to people with disabilities in your community. Ask what matters most and follow their lead. If you invite someone to speak, train a group, or share expertise, offer an honorarium.
- Wear your support. Disability Pride gear from The Arc’s online store helps keep the message visible and can open the door to learning and connection.
- Challenge ableism and harmful language. Push back on stereotypes and slurs, including the R-word, and set clear expectations for respect.
- Teach the next generation. Use age-appropriate tools from the Raising Us Podcast, TODAY.com, HuffPost, and Seattle Children’s to discuss disability, inclusion, and bullying.
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