Disability Pride Week

Disability Pride is designed to make Aotearoa New Zealand a place where disabled people feel proud of themselves and their country; where disability is seen as part of the social and cultural landscape.

What is Disability Pride Week?
Disability Pride Week is an international annual event that promotes visibility and mainstream awareness of the positive pride felt by people with disabilities within their community. This is the third year Disability Pride Week has been hosted in New Zealand to promote inclusion, awareness, and visibility of people with disabilities, and redefine public perception of disability. Let’s build on that. Start thinking, connect with others, and see what you can do to promote and demonstrate disability pride in your community.

Why is it important?
‘Before anyone can really begin to fight a culture of prejudice to replace it with a culture of human rights, they must first begin to develop a sense of pride in their identity. And this means not just a pride in their humanity, not just as a pride in their membership of the human community, but also – and more importantly – a pride in those very aspects of their identity that have led others to discriminate against them and oppress them.’ Parson, Ian. Cripples, Coons, Fags and Fems: a look at how four human rights movements have fought prejudice. Geelong: Villamanta, 1999.

Events in AUCKLAND
Circus, dance, arts & more: Friday 30 November , 10am – 7pm Circability Central, 203 – 271 Victoria St West. Circability, Dance & Arts Therapy NZ, Hohepa, Phab and Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre have joined forces to bring you a HUGE day of creativity and fun in celebration of Disability Pride Day.

Disability Pride Hui: Saturday 1 December , 12.45 – 3.20pm Blind Foundation Recreation Centre 545 Parnell Road Auckland. What does disability pride mean to you? How could disability pride events help to mobilise support for the dignity and well-being of people with disabilities? Join us to discuss these questions and more!

Events in WELLINGTON
Disability Pride Week Film Night: Tuesday 27 November, 5pm at Nga Taonga Sound and Vision
Watch a variety of short films reflecting disability pride, meet the actors and film makers, hear them speak during the panel following the films and meet them during supper.

Disability Pride Rally: Claiming our Place: Wednesday 28 November, 12.30 – 2.00pm at Parliament Grounds.

Our Voices: Loud and Proud: Thursday 29 November, 12.30 – 4.30pm, Level 8, 44 The Terrace, Wellington. Join the Human Rights Commission and the team from Where to From Here to explore how we can enhance the voice of disabled people and allies calling for better outcomes for disabled New Zealanders.

On Display: Monday 3 December, 12.30 – 1.30pm Midlands Park. Wellington Integrated Dance and Touch Compass. Deconstructed Dance by Heidi Latsky of New York.

What you can do for Disability Pride Week
It has been great to see some conversations starting and people putting their hands up to lead an event for Disability Pride Week. Remember you can be part of it by setting up an event or showcasing something that:

Explores and projects Disability Pride
Has Disabled people taking a leading voice and a lead and/or partnership role in the planning and development of the event or activity
Acknowledge members of the Disability community who have gone (many of whom helped break down barriers to help us get to where where we are today)
Is fun and inclusive

 

Let us know what you are doing so we can promote it too!

https://disabilityprideaotearoa.nz/
or
https://www.facebook.com/DisabilityPrideAotearoa/

Click here for more information and events.