Disability Pride Month

WHEREAS, on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, and;

WHEREAS, in the United States, per the CDC, 1 in 4 of adults have a disability, whether it is mobility, cognition, vision, hearing, challenges with independent living or self-care, and;

WHEREAS, in the Township of Maplewood, we celebrate diversity in all aspects of life and know while each of us face challenges, we must find the joy in what makes us unique, even in times of strife, and;

WHEREAS, pride is about acknowledgment, celebration, forming and strengthening communities, and showing those who may feel isolated, alone, or misunderstood there are those who share your experience, seek and will do the work to understand you, and will stand by you when injustice happens, and;

WHEREAS, we can celebrate New Jersey actress and Tony Award Winner Ali Stroker, acknowledge the various invisible disabilities such as autism, multiple sclerosis, or anxiety, and;

WHEREAS, also celebrate how far society has come in speaking openly about diagnoses, having visible representation, and providing diverse opportunities for members within the spectrum of disability, and;

            WHEREAS, the reason the Township Committee advocated for having our meetings accessible in person and through alternative means isn’t only for those who may find the time of our meetings inconvenient for their routine but also for those who physically cannot come to Town Hall to still have a voice. That, even if it is via an advocate or letter, their concerns can be heard, acknowledged, and considered regarding the future of our Township, and;

WHEREAS, to quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” for none of us can afford the idea that anything is simply someone else’s problem, someone else’s issue, and so it doesn’t affect or have anything to do with me. We all live here, we are each other’s neighbors, and this comes with a social contract that is detrimental to all whenever it is broken.