February is Black History Month. It’s a time to hold space for Black Americans, to recognize and celebrate and grieve parts of American history that may feel all too invisible.
 
For UCP Oregon, it’s also a time to celebrate the contributions and struggles of Black people who experience disabilities.
 
Currently, 5.5 million Black Americans are living with a disability. But, as Ola Ojewumi says, “to be Black and disabled in America is to be invisible.”
 
Ola Ojewumi is both Black and disabled. She’s an activist, journalist, and a community organizer. She contributes to the Huffington Post, and founded two nonprofits.
 
Ola says, “According to the version of American history I was taught in the public education system, it's as though people with disabilities didn’t make any significant contributions to our society. The same was largely true for African Americans... Yet when you look at Black history, there is an undeniable link to disability; some of our greatest Black heroes and heroines have been disabled.”
 
She adds, “Since our society fails to do enough to acknowledge both communities' significant contributions, it is up to us to amplify Black disabled voices and both groups’ histories."
 
That’s why Ola created the #DisabledBlackHistory campaign. It's a social media initiative that celebrates the milestones of disabled black Americans.

Read more about Ola Ojewumi and #DisabledBlackHistory here.

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Last year, we shared a list of powerful MLK quotes that was curated by Karen Wang. Karen is the mom of several children, including a son with disabilities.
 
As Karen writes, “As I plan for my children’s future, I find myself returning to [MLK’s] lessons for guidance. Human rights are for everyone, and we still have a long way to go on our journey.”

These quotes are so good that we're sharing them again.
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• “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
• “It is not possible to be in favor of justice for some people and not be in favor of justice for all people.”
• “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
• “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
• “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve… You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
• “It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.” 

 
What are you doing to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
 
PS: You can read Karen's article here.

​It’s November. A month of gratitude and feasting… and also of mourning.

Have you heard about the National Day of Mourning? It falls on Thanksgiving Day, and is a way to honor and observe the real origins of the Thanksgiving holiday.
 
Thanksgiving has been celebrated since 1637, when it was proclaimed by the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony to celebrate the safe return of the men who had gone to fight against the Pequot tribe. The fighting led to the enslavement and massacre of over 700 Pequot men, women, and children.
 
In 1970, a Native American leader named Wamsutta Frank James was invited to give a speech at an event celebrating the 350th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims. He wrote a speech focusing on the real history of Thanksgiving. The event’s organizers cancelled his appearance, which prompted him to start the National Day of Mourning.
 
The National Day of Mourning has been observed ever since by many people across North America. Each year, hundreds of people gather in Plymouth to commemorate the National Day of Mourning. How will you commemorate the event?
 
Learn more here:
 

• https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2014/11/26/national-day-of-mourning-reflects-on-thanksgivings-horrific-bloody-history/
• https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/25/us/national-day-of-mourning-race-deconstructed-newsletter/index.html 

Did you know that November is “National Native American Heritage Month"? NOTE: The month is also known as “American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.”

During this month (and always!), we celebrate the rich and diverse contributions, cultures, and histories of the Native peoples of North American. We acknowledge the challenges Native people have faced in the past and today. And we amplify Native voices. ​

This month is also a chance to acknowledge the intersection of disability and Native identity. According to the 2010 US Census, 24% of Native Americans and Alaska Natives have a disability.

Tatiana Lee is an activist who experiences disabilities. She has Black and Native American ancestors. She is an actress and international model.

Tatiana says, ​

Today marks the first day of “National Hispanic Heritage Month,” celebrated each year from September 15th through October 15th.

This is an important month—a time to think of the contributions and history of people who identify as Hispanic in America.

UCP Oregon thinks it’s also important to talk about the intersection of race and disability this month. More than 5.4 million Americans who identity as Hispanic also experience a disability.

The intersection of multiple identities is complicated.
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As Roque Gregorio Renteria (an LA-based screenwriter and comedian who uses a wheelchair) says, “There’s often a trade off when multiple identities are present. People want to focus on my Hispanic identity or my identity as a person with a disability and not examine both.”​

However, some Hispanic celebrities who experience disabilities have begun to share their experiences and voices. Notable examples include Michelle Rodriguez and Salma Hayek; and singers Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez.

Happy July! And happy Disabilities Pride Month to you!

This month, some folks who experience disabilities are choosing to “come out of the closet” by discussing their disabilities publicly for the first time.
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Have you done this? It can be a scary process.
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But, as Carly Fox (a 20-year-old disability rights advocate) says, “Disability self-disclosure has been freeing, empowering, and incredibly meaningful to me. It has allowed me to enter new professional spaces in my entirety. It enables me to use my expertise to make spaces more accessible and inclusive, and it creates representation that may make my disabled peers feel safer.”

Learn more about Carly's "self-disclosure" experience here.

July is Disabilities Pride Month.
 
It’s a time for celebration and for introspection. And sometimes it's a time for sadness.

It’s complicated.

If you’re struggling to know how to feel this month, you’re not alone. One of our favorite activists, Kelly Douglas (who experiences CP) recently shared, “I wonder if I’ll be able to muster up a shred of disability pride to get me through July.”
 
Like many of us this month, Kelly is wondering, “How do I share everything my disability has given me and still mourn everything it’s taken away?”

That's why we’ll be sharing a spectrum of disability-related experiences this month-- from celebration and pride to grief and annoyance. Because ALL of our experiences are valid!

Join UCP Oregon on June 19th as we celebrate Juneteenth (also known as Freedom Day).
 
The holiday was named in honor of June 19th, 1865--the day that enslaved persons were finally freed in Texas (months after the Civil War has ended).

Last year, the day became a federal holiday. Woo hoo!
 
Juneteenth events are being held across the country.

If you live in Portland, you might want to attend the 2022 Juneteenth Oregon Parade and Festival. This free, community-empowered event features a parade, food, vendors, a kids’ area, local music (jazz, hip hop and soul), empowering speeches from community leaders and more.
 
For more information, visit the Juneteenth Oregon Celebration website.