Disability Pride Parade

On July 23, Chicago's 2005 Disability Pride Parade brought together over 2,500 people to celebrate the unity, diversity and culture of people with many different types of disabilities.

Equip for Equality, a co-sponsor of the parade, had an information booth at the post-parade event in Union Park and turned out a parade contingent of 20 Equip for Equality staff, family members and friends. The grand marshal of the parade, Steven Brown, founder of the Institute on Disability Culture, traveled all the way from Hawaii, where he is a professor at the Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii. He led the parade and gave a stirring speech at the post-parade program on the journey from disability shame to disability pride, an experience shared by many in attendance.

Kevin Irvine, a senior advocate at Equip for Equality and a person living with multiple disabilities, served as master of ceremonies for a program that also featured musicians, writers and other artists. Honors were also presented to Diane Coleman & Steven Drake, of the disability rights group, Not Dead Yet, which opposes efforts to legalize physician-assisted death, and euthanasia. Not Dead Yet also advocates for the rights of people with disabilities in the healthcare system. Karen Tamley, newly appointed commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, read a proclamation from Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley that invited "all people to join in celebrating the potential, pride and power of people with disabilities."

"The Disability Pride Parade gives our community an opportunity to come together and celebrate the qualities that make living with a disability fulfilling: our diversity, spirit and a shared goal of equality and justice for all!" said Kevin Irvine. "I hope this continues as an annual event and becomes as much a part of the fabric of a Chicago summer as other community & cultural celebrations have become."

The 2005 parade was organized by a coalition of grassroots volunteers, with in-kind donations and financial support from over 40 organizations. For more information on volunteering to be part of the 2006 parade planning, contact Kevin Irvine at Equip for Equality at 800.537.2632 x7321 (v), 800.610.2779 (TTY) or kevin@equipforequality.org.

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