Did you know July is Disability Pride Month?

DID YOU KNOW that July is Disability Pride Month? I only learned that about two years ago, when I started speaking about the rare muscle disorder I was born with and avoided talking about for 30+ years.

Now as an invisible disability speaker on resilience and belonging, I’m especially excited to give keynotes and mini-workshops for audiences from high school to corporate, during a time meant to normalize and invite discussions around disability inclusion.

My keynote “Biases, Beliefs and Belonging: Rewriting Narratives on Disability and Acceptance” is perfect for disability-related ERGs and speaks to:
- The importance of seeing representation of people going through the same challenges as you
- Statistics around disability prevalence and disclosure rates in Canada
- Common biases and beliefs around disability, with my own experiences and stories sprinkled in

My signature keynote “Seeking Strength: How to Build Resilience Through Small Moments of Joy” is best for corporations and associations, and illustrates:
- My lived experience as someone born with a physical disability, undiagnosed for 20+ years and masquerading as a non-disabled person for 30+ years
- A call to action and to empathy for those hiding struggles they’re afraid to share - including yourself
- A 3-step system by which you can embrace all parts of yourself, to form deeper connections with others

My mini workshop “Everyday Ableism and How to Recognize It” is great for youth aged 13-18 and explores:
- Different forms of ableism (from non-disabled people, from within the disability community, and internalized) with real examples from my lived experience
- How bias and language choice can reinforce harmful beliefs about disability
- Practical ways to unlearn ableism and become better allies, especially for people with invisible disabilities

If your organization, association, ERG or youth program is looking to mark Disability Pride Month in July, let’s connect to discuss how I can help! ✨