Community invited to join celebration with virtual events, an ally campaign, and more
Next month the City of Fishers and Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability will host the annual month-long celebration of National Disability Awareness Month. The celebration, presented by Old National Bank, strives to bring awareness to what life is like for those with physical and intellectual disabilities through a series of special events and initiatives throughout the city. This year’s celebration will be held virtually, with unique opportunities for all residents to get involved from the comfort of home.
This year’s theme, Building Our Inclusive Community, will celebrate the Committee’s achievements in building an inclusive community including expanded employment opportunities, the creation of social groups such as Thrive Social Club, the addition of affordable and accessible housing with Real America’s SouthPointe Village Apartments, and more.
Fadness
Coble
“Since Fishers became a city, the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability has strived to build a more inclusive community every year by working with the disability stakeholders and our community partners,” said Cecilia Coble, co-chair of the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability. “This March, our community will celebrate the achievements that have been built in the last five years in the City of Fishers. This foundation will help us to continue to work together to build a place where individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities can live and thrive without limits.”
“I am so proud of the work of the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability to build an inclusive and accessible community,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19 over the past year, the Committee has continued to move this initiative forward – launching the Thrive Social Club to bring our residents together during a difficult time and transitioning our March celebration to a virtual series so that our community can participate safely from home.”
This year’s lineup includes virtual events hosted by the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability and community partners such as Fishers Arts Council and the Hamilton East Public Library; a recurring Disability Awareness Month series on ThisIsFishers.com featuring guest blogs every Wednesday throughout March; and a new ally campaign which invites residents to become advocates for disability inclusion and showcase their support for the initiative. An ally toolkit will be available for download from fishers.in.us/DisabilityAwareness and will include information on how to be an ally, a list of frequently asked questions and a language guide, digital graphics, and other resources. Ally kits with stickers, T-shirts, and other items will be available for in-person pickup throughout March.
“It is so exciting to see the momentum that continues despite this health crisis,” said Kelly Hartman, co-chair of the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability. “As a committee, we have been able to make the virtual pivot to sustain many of the events that have become the center of disability awareness for Fishers. The unique opportunity is that we can reach even more people, as we know there are some people who may never have come to an in-person event but will find the virtual awareness opportunities intriguing. We are excited to engage many people in our community in March as we strive to be a community that is inclusive of all people.”
See the lineup of events, download the Ally Toolkit, and learn more about the work of the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability, visit fishers.in.us/DisabilityAwareness. Follow along on social media at #FishersDisabilityAwareness.