 Flashback alert!
It’s 1955. In Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks refuses to sit at the back of the bus. Churchill resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The World Series features the Brooklyn Dodgers versus the New York Yankees. And, a little closer to home, two different organizations begin operations: UCP of NW Oregon (in Astoria), and Double O Workshop (in Portland). Spoiler alert: these two groups will merge, and become what we know as UCP Oregon today! Happy Birthday, UCP Oregon!  Do you remember what you were doing on July 26, 1990? Probably not. Maybe you weren’t even born yet!
But thirty-three years ago, something amazing happened. It was the day that the “Americans with Disabilities Act” (ADA) was finally passed. The ADA bans discrimination on the basis of disability in the areas of employment, public services, public accommodation, transit, and telecommunications. Berkshire Associates describes the ADA as “the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities.” As the ADA itself says, “The ADA reflects a recognition that the surest path to America's continued vitality, strength and vibrancy is through the full realization of the contributions of all of its citizens.” Happy Birthday, ADA! This is so cool! Last weekend, several UCP Oregon families were able to spend a weekend at an amazing campground in Yakima, Washington—for free! Camp Prime Time is a nonprofit, and it focuses on children who experience disabilities or who are seriously ill. UCP campers had their choice of activities, including an accessible pontoon boat ride, a ride on an antique wagon, accessible horseback riding, and an accessible bonfire with a marshmallow roast. There was even a wheelchair-accessible treehouse! A gigantic thank you to Katherine Lee Ball, Director of UCP Oregon’s Family Support Department, for applying for UCP to attend and organizing the whole trip! And thanks to a UCP Family Support member, Stephanie, for sharing many of these awesome photos!  Happy Disability Pride Month!
What does Disability Pride Month mean to you? For some people, Disability Pride Month is a time to speak out and take action. Other folks may use it as a chance to seek community or share their story. And for some people, Disability Pride Month is a time for deep introspection. Whatever this month means to you, UCP Oregon celebrates you and your story. |
