March is DD Awareness month
March is DD Awareness monthIn 1987, March was officially designated as “National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month”. In his proclamation, President Ronald Reagan wrote:
“I urge all Americans to join me in according to our fellow citizens with such disabilities both encouragement and the opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”
This was considered an important step in bringing attention to the needs and barriers of those with developmental disabilities, which are a diverse group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. Some of the most common conditions include intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, Down Syndrome, and cerebral palsy.
Three years later after the proclamation, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President George Bush. The ADA was the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities. Progress has continued to move forward in the more than three decades since the ADA was signed, but there is still work to be done.
The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and its partners collaborate to lead Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM) with a theme every year. This year’s theme is “A World of Opportunities”. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of community life, as well as awareness of the barriers that people with disabilities still face in connecting to the communities which they live in.
There are creative ways to celebrate DDAM. Orange is the official color of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The color was chosen because it symbolizes energy and positivity.
Things you can do:
1. Wear orange
2. Hold an art contest
3. Share images, videos, and stories on social media
Communities are also celebrating. Take Spokane, WA, for example. In honor of DDAM, the Spokane Pavilion is lighting up orange on Monday, March 4, 2024, from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM. The Spokane Pavilion is located at 74 West N Howard St, Spokane, WA 99201.
DAC NEW
25 W Main,
3rd floor Room C-1
Spokane, WA 99201
509-606-4639