Listen to this story;
Kodiak Island’s Independent Living Center will be holding a disability pride event on Saturday, July 30 at the Buskin River State Recreation Site’s Ben Aure Shelter. It’s the organization’s first in-person pride event since the pandemic began.
Bev Cole is an independent living advocate for the Kodiak Independent Living Center. She helps connect people with disabilities to different state and federal assistance programs, as well as coordinating quality of life improvements – like hiring caregivers and installing wheelchair ramps.
She’s also one of the organizers of this weekend’s disability pride event.
“We’re really excited for it. We’re so excited to see everybody in person, get everybody out and just to really talk and see each other,” Cole said.
The event has special significance for the Independent Living Center; it’s been more than two years since the last in-person disability pride event was held in Kodiak. It also coincides with the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act – a landmark piece of legislation that secured many rights for people with disabilities, including outlawing discrimination in the workplace on the basis of disability. Disability advocacy groups across the state celebrated the occasion earlier this week over Zoom, according to Cole.
“Pride itself is about accepting and honoring each person’s uniqueness and seeing it as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity,” Cole said. “The thing about the disability community is that it’s non-discriminatory, and the fact that anyone can join during any time in their life. We’re really here for everybody.”
Kodiak’s in-person disability pride event is being held Saturday, July 30 at the Buskin River State Recreation Site’s Ben Aure shelter.
“We’ll have balloons, s’mores, bring your instruments, lawn games provided and bring your own picnic lunch,” Cole said.
The event will run from 1 to 4 p.m. and is open to the public. The Independent Living Center is also offering rides to the event; they can be reached at 907-486-0493.