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Merced Sun-Star

October 22, 2009

Disability awareness event helps break through stigmas

By: Victor A. Patton

Merced Sun-Star - More than 100 people turned out for a National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebration at Courthouse Park on Wednesday. Many of them held signs as they waved at motorists.

Merced Sun-Star - More than 100 people turned out for a National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebration at Courthouse Park on Wednesday. Many of them held signs as they waved at motorists.

An array of colorful signs with slogans including "Honk 4 Disabled Awareness" and "Don't Dis the Disabled" greeted passers-by on M Street on Wednesday, as more than 100 developmentally disabled Mercedians gathered in Courthouse Park to commemorate National Disability Awareness Month.

Sponsored by Merced County Transition Council and several groups that provide services for the developmentally disabled, the event was held to educate the public about the importance of the month, which is observed annually during October.

Advocates say the role of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to pay tribute to the accomplishments of people with disabilities, whose work helps strengthen the nation's economy.

It's also a time to reaffirm a commitment to ensure equal opportunity for the disabled and all citizens, according to the Library of Congress' Web site.

Barbara Hurtado, a program manager at Central Valley Regional Center, said Wednesday's event would have been unheard of 30 years ago, when people with developmental disabilities were often stigmatized.

With the passage of disability-related legislation and awareness campaigns to educate the public, however, disabled people no longer have to remain in the background, she said.

Hurtado's organization serves 1,800 developmentally disabled people in Merced and Mariposa counties. "For them, this is an opportunity to advocate for themselves," said Hurtado. "They are proud to be who they are, and proud to be a part of this community."

Chris Phillips, a developmentally disabled woman who attended Wednesday's event, said she was encouraged by the drivers who honked and gave a thumbs-up in their support. "This is cool. I'm representing the disabled," Phillips said, "People should be aware of what's going on in Merced and California."

Kim Kubar, a vocational rehabilitation counselor with the State Department of Rehabilitation, said the event is also an opportunity to inform employers about the desire of developmentally disabled people to find work. "(Employers) need to be aware there are people who are available and willing to work," Kubar said. "They just want to be given a chance."

The roots of National Disability Employment Awareness Month can be traced back to 1945, when Congress enacted Public Law 176, declaring the first week of October each year as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week, according to the Library of Congress.

In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.