Philadelphia Disability Pride Walk 2014

PHILADELPHIA -- The Third Annual Disability Pride Philadelphia celebrations taking place on Saturday, June 21, 2014. Last year, the event attracted over 2,200 people, as well as artists and performers from all over the country.

This year, Disability Pride Philadelphia kicks off at the Liberty Bell at 11:30 a.m. on June 21, with speeches from leaders within the disabilities community. Hundreds of persons with disabilities, along with their families and friends, will participate in the parade, unified with one message: "It’s OK to be who you are, and Philadelphia should be proud of its citizens with disabilities." The participants will celebrate the event with art, exhibits, performances, and education for young and old. Yoshiko Dart, the widow of Justin Dart, will be joining the parade. Mr. Dart helped to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Disability Pride organizer and performer Johnny Crescendo says of Disability Pride Day, “It’s important for people with disabilities to be proud of who they are. Events like Disability Pride Philadelphia give them a platform to share this pride with the public. It is also a chance for people with cross-disabilities to get together and celebrate their differences. This is an event for everyone -- young, old, disability or no disability -- to learn about the incredible spirit that people with disabilities bring to the City of Philadelphia.”

The event ends with a march to the National Constitution Center to view the Disability Rights exhibit of Justin Dart’s "Rickety Wheelchair." Dart sat in this wheelchair next to President George H.W. Bush as the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990.

For more information on this event, please contact: Lisa Marie M. Brody, 215.272.0385 or email disabilityprideday@gmail.com