On Thursday, July 25, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners proclaimed July as Disability Pride Month, commemorating the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and celebrating the diversity and contributions of individuals with disabilities within the community.
Disability Pride Month has its origins in the ADA, which was passed on July 26, 1990, to ensure the civil rights of individuals with disabilities.
“This year, our Board has the opportunity to renew our commitment to empower our residents and employees with disabilities through championing equal access and taking part in this proclamation,” said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson.
The Chair, alongside the Including Disability in Equity Access (IDEA) Employee Resource Group, the Department of County Human Services (DCHS), the Health Department, the Joint Office of Homeless Services and the Department of Community Justice, co-sponsored the proclamation.
County departments’ work with people with disabilities
Department of County Human Service Director Mohammad Bader highlighted the department’s essential role in providing support to individuals with disabilities. DCHS serves over 50,000 Oregonians annually, he said, including 13,258 people with disabilities in fiscal year 2023, more than half of whom were served by the department’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Division.
Bader shared that “there is an increased risk of violence for people with disabilities,” as people with disabilities and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing experience crime at rates 3 to 5 times higher than those without disabilities.
The Domestic Violence Crisis Response Unit offers a specialized program supporting survivors with cognitive and physical disabilities. DCHS also houses the Domestic and Sexual Violence Coordination Office (DVSCO) and the Disability Services Advisory (DSAC), both of which play crucial roles in supporting survivors with disabilities.
“DCHS is committed to disability justice by prioritizing the voices and the needs of people with disabilities in our community,” said Bader.
Looking toward the future, Bader announced that DCHS has formed a new partnership with the IDEA Employee Resource Group to enhance accessibility, ensuring that DCHS services, support systems, and work environments are fully accessible to all people with disabilities who utilize their services or are employed by the department.
Dan Field, the director of the Joint Office of Homeless Services, shared that 80% of unhoused Portlanders reported having a chronic disability, and also noted that the life expectancy of an unhoused person is 20 years shorter than their housed counterparts.
“We realize that those wraparound services in affordable housing are the backbone of our community efforts to reduce and prevent homelessness, and those services will serve a large number of people with disabilities,” said Field.
Field said JOHS will continue to support people and meet individuals’ needs and work to address the challenges that JOHS is seeing with the disability community.
IDEA Employee Resource Group
Emilie Azorr, one of four IDEA Employee Resource Group co-chairs, emphasized the importance of including disability in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, drawing particular attention to the County’s responsibility to protect the vulnerable residents from criminalization due to poverty and disability.
Azorr stressed the ongoing need for COVID-19 safety measures, advocating for accessible services and employment opportunities for community members whose lives have been changed by the pandemic.
Azorr urged Multnomah County leadership to remain steadfast in their commitment to the values of equity and justice — recently affirmed in the County’s revamped mission, vision and value statements — particularly when it comes to the rights of people with disabilities.
Co-chair Angel Harp spoke to the growth of the group, sharing that her work supporting IDEA has helped her feel more a part of the community.
The group, Harp said, has fostered an increasing willingness of employees to openly discuss their disabilities.
“We recognized that creating an environment in Multnomah County, both for the employees and for the community we serve, where everyone feels valued and supported is not only the right thing to do, but it is essential for our collective success,” said Harp.
Harp called for support in implementing policies that prioritize accessibility and equity throughout the County to ensure all spaces, programs and services are designed and delivered inclusively.
Community partners
Portland Hearing Voices Founder Will Hall wished everyone a happy Disability Pride Month and thanked the community for their 15 years of support in a video played in the boardroom.
Hall shared that Portland Hearing Voices works to change the way society responds to altered states and different realities, and to advance the belief that there’s nothing wrong with hearing voices or having different experiences. He also stressed the importance of listening to people and helping them find what works for them.
Jan Campbell, a person with disabilities, expressed deep gratitude for the proclamation and celebration of Disability Pride Month.
She shared her personal experiences of being discriminated against and navigating inaccessible environments before the ADA, describing the entrenched challenges for people with disabilities in education and employment.
“Through college there were no laws to protect us. I was totally dependent on others for transportation and having to be carried up and down by strangers because there were no elevators,” said Campbell.
As a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, Campbell spoke of the lack of accessible services and programs available to people with disabilities during that time. “I was lucky that I had friends to help me through that with their emotional support.”
Today, Campbell is the director of Disability Awareness Resource Team, where she works to provide peer-to-peer support and advocacy for survivors with disabilities.
Campbell called for increased awareness and systemic changes to address the unique needs of people with disabilities, particularly those experiencing trauma and abuse.
“Hopefully this proclamation will open up the doors so that Multnomah County is welcoming to everyone and continues to provide services and programs that are accessible to everyone,” she said.
Following the presentation, Chair Vega Pederson read the Disability Pride Month proclamation.
Board remarks
Commissioner Sharon Meieran shared her appreciation for IDEA and the space it has created for people to connect and discuss the advocacy needed to support employees.
“I appreciate the work that we’re doing to support those with disabilities of all kinds — visible and invisible,” she said.
Commissioner Jesse Beason shared his personal experience with his mother who suffered a traumatic brain injury, and how he regretted being more angry at his mom than at the people who didn’t treat her like a human being.
“What I love about pride festivities is that they allow us to reclaim and affirm our identities and worth as humans, and say that regardless of what our culture and society tell us, that every single one of us belongs here and we deserve to have a society that welcomes us,” he concluded.
Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards expressed gratitude to those attending the proclamation and for the County’s work in creating a more inclusive community.
“I hope that you’ll continue to challenge us in all our work and think about how we can be a more inclusive, effective County, and how we engage with our community,” she said.
Commissioner Lori Stegmann noted that reading the proclamation educated her about the community’s history and the advancements that have been made to support the community.
“I want to thank you all for sharing your stories, educating us and making sure that this is at the forefront of the County’s mind as we engage with our employees, our community, and our friends and neighbors,” said Commissioner Stegmann.
Chair Vega Pederson thanked everyone who helped bring the proclamation forward,“The commitment that you have from me and from this Board is to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to live up to the ideals and the standards that we all should be doing when it comes to disability access with equal opportunity.”