Every year in July, the U.S. celebrates Disability Pride Month, celebrating the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, which gave Americans legal protections from disability-based discrimination. Today, 33 years later, there is still much work to be done to ensure representation, access and inclusion for people with disabilities.
Part of that work can be helped by influential brands, putting their widespread audiences to use in furthering the collective goal of disability inclusion.
Lauren Murphy, UM
“Being disability-inclusive really begins with education and results in action,” said Lauren Murphy, VP and partner, integrated investment, at UM. She pointed out the common misconception that disabilities are always visible. Murphy noted that disabilities can range from, and are not limited to, developmental or intellectual disabilities. These might include autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and ADHD, as well as physical impairments including limb indifference, spina bifida, sensory impairments such as blindness and hearing loss, as well as anxiety, neurodevelopmental disorders and PTSD.
Read more in Ad Age.