 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.  Did you know that May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month? According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 10 Asian American adults have a disability. This can lead to some complicated experiences. As activist Megan Liang writes, “As an Asian American woman with a visible disability, I have always felt as if all parts of my identity were for the world to see and judge… I felt like I couldn’t ask for help in fear that I would be seen as even smaller and weaker.” That’s why Megan and others like her are hoping to shine a light on the intersection of disability and Asian identity. Learn More:  Hey, this is cool.
This year’s national UCP conference is virtual, free and open to the public! Attendees will learn about:
The conference will be held May 3–4, noon to 3:30 pm EST. Register today!  Hello! It’s April, and you know what that means… Autism Awareness Month. Or does it? Last year, the largest grassroots autism organization in America (The Autism Society of America) decided to rename their celebration as Autism Acceptance Month (AAM). Other groups have been using the new name for longer, but, in any case, the new name is really taking off! As Christopher Banks (the president and CEO of The Autism Society of America), says, "Awareness is knowing that somebody has autism. Acceptance is when you include (a person with autism) in your activities." [emphasis ours] World Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd) has not been renamed, but its focus has changed. Originally, its focus was on “autistic children and finding a cure," as Ludmila Praslova, a professor and director of graduate programs who also experiences autism, explained. She says that many folks now focus on "acceptance and inclusion rather than a cure…” and celebrating “diversity and completeness." Sounds good to us! Learn More:
 Today is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day 2022! What are you doing to celebrate? This week, a group of parent and adult advocates, clinicians and researchers celebrated CP Awareness Day by travelling to Washington DC, to give a briefing to Congress about CP! The trip was organized by the Cerebral Palsy Foundation (which is not part of UCP), and was supported by Senator Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire) and Congressman Steve Cohen (Tennessee). Way to go, advocates! And, speaking of advocates, did you know that National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day in the United States was created by two moms? They felt it was vital to increase awareness of cerebral palsy, and to improve quality of care and research across the lifespan.  As you may know, March is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month.
But here are some facts about CP that you might not know!
 Hello! If you're a customer of UCP, a family member of a UCP customer, or a UCP employee, we'd love to hear from you. We'd also love to share YOUR story with the world.
You can share almost anything:
 Hey! Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? As journalist Melissa Young says, “Women have been making history for centuries; for some, this was the only choice they had.” Women with disabilities make history, too. As Melissa Young says, for many women “it was either live the way others expected them to or fight for the lives they knew they (and all people with disabilities) deserved.” Famous women who experience/experienced disabilities include:
Learn More: March is a busy month! It’s (1) Women’s History Month. It’s also (2) National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. And it’s (3) National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month! Since UCP Oregon’s roots are in cerebral palsy, we thought we’d start out by talking about National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. The goal of the month is to push for positive change in education programs, the healthcare system, and the employment world—to ensure that people who experience cerebral palsy have the opportunities they need and deserve. UCP Oregon is busy doing advocacy on a local, state and national level. You can make a difference, too! How To CELEBRATE:
 Hi! As you probably know, February is known as Black History Month (and also as Black Futures Month).
It’s a time to collectively celebrate Black history and to imagine a world where Black people are free and self-determined. This time would not be complete without acknowledging the labor and excellence of Black disabled people, and their place in the necessary movement towards Black freedom. At UCP, we’ve been seeing lots of great resources about being both Black and disabled. Here are some of them:
To our Black colleagues and customers, we see you and celebrate you! May this month be full of joy and connection. And to our non-Black community reading this post: may all of us continue to learn, address anti-blackness behavior, make changes, and take action. |
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