All abilities, all respect

A FREE celebration is set to take place next month with the aim of encouraging the region’s disabled community to take pride in themselves.

The event will be held in the Ballarat Town Hall’s Trench Room and is being organised by staff at disability support service Valid.

The non-profit’s community development worker Mark Thompson said it’s about connecting people based on their shared experiences.

“It’s about bringing people together to celebrate disability pride,” he said. “It’s only new in Australia. This event started here in 2018 in Adelaide.

“This will be the first disability pride celebration ever run in Ballarat.”

The disability pride flag will feature in the event which bears six diagonal streaks of colour against a black background which represents mourning for those who’ve experienced ableist abuse.

Each colour represents a different disability with gold for neurodivergence, green for sensory, white for invisible or undiagnosed, red for physical and blue for psychiatric disabilities.

Guest speakers are to include NDSP Plan Manager’s Christine Shearer, Anita Aherne from Living on the Spectrum, Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison, and Annecto’s Ashley McNeight.

Taking place on Friday 14 July from 2.30pm to 4.30pm, the event will coincide with Disability Pride Month which was established in the US in the early 1990s.

Mr Thompson said he encourages everyone to get involved in bringing disability pride to the region.

“This is open to anyone with a disability,” he said. “July 26 is the official day when disability pride started but we’re holding ours a bit earlier.”

Free afternoon tea will also be provided, and booking is encouraged for catering purposes via 0418 573 702 or [email protected].