Practicing Disability Pride – Fostering Self-Love in Children with and without Disabilities

Disabled children are whole. Disabled children are powerful. Disabled children are worthy of unconditional love and unwavering respect. The implicit and explicit messages that we send about disability have important consequences for young children’s developing identities and their sense of belonging. When disability is consistently framed as a deficit, a problem in need of intervention, or a taboo subject to be silenced, children with and without disabilities learn and experience ableism. Disability pride interrupts these harmful narratives and points us toward greater self-love and a more inclusive future. Disability pride is about honoring the fullness of human diversity, uplifting the power and history of the disability community, and celebrating every person’s right to be seen, valued, and respected exactly as they are.

This half-day workshop is an opportunity to explore disability as an identity, with its own communities and cultures. Participants will reflect on narratives and assumptions about disability, collaboratively explore the power of shifting from an anti-ableist lens to a disability-affirming one, and identify opportunities to explicitly and implicitly nurture disability pride. All backgrounds and levels of experience are welcome! Register now.