Jul 22, 2022 2 min read

The first Disability Pride Pittsburgh event is set for Saturday starting at 1 p.m. on Fort Duquesne Boulevard between the 6th and 7th Street bridges in downtown Pittsburgh.

Created by Disability Pride PA and the Disability Pride Pittsburgh Committee, it will mix entertainment and advocacy and have giveaways, resource tables, food trucks and celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Master of Ceremonies Imani Barbarin, also known as “Crutches and Spice,” will be joined on the main stage by speakers and performers from the local disability community, including stand-up comedian and mental health advocate Gab Bonesso; Seamus Kelleher, a storyteller and musician who discusses his journey with addiction; and the ensemble Infinity, comprised of four musicians with mental health diagnoses.

Speakers include state Rep. Jessica Benham, D-Carrick, the first Pennsylvania legislator to identify as autistc, and Dan Miller, a champion of disability rights. They will be joined by a host of local disability advocates.

“Disability Pride events imagine a world where every disabled person feels pride through self-awareness, their identity, and their community at large,” said Vicki Landers, executive director of Disability Pride PA. “Our mission is to promote more visibility and cultivate the pride felt within our community as we advocate for an inclusive world.”

For more information go online to www.DisabilityPridePA.org.