Together in Pride: Honoring Every Body, Every Age

Each July, Disability Pride Month invites us to celebrate the strength, visibility, and dignity of people with disabilities—and to re-commit to building a more inclusive world.

At the Los Angeles County Aging & Disabilities Department (AD), we proudly join this national observance through our 2025 campaign: Together in Pride: Honoring Every Body, Every Age.

This year’s theme reflects the national campaign message advanced by The Arc: We Belong Here, and We’re Here to Stay. It is a powerful affirmation that people with disabilities are vital to every community—not conditionally or temporarily, but fully and permanently. That message resonates strongly with our department’s mission to uplift and empower people with disabilities across all stages of life.

We are also proud to recognize the work of organizations across the country, including Easterseals’ campaign, Disability is Not a Dirty Word. By challenging the discomfort or stigma that too often surrounds disability, Easterseals encourages us to speak openly and respectfully, helping to normalize and humanize the conversation. These national efforts reflect a shared commitment to greater understanding, dignity, and inclusion.

Locally, one of the cornerstones of our department’s Disability Pride campaign is the video series Voices of Belonging. This series features individuals with disabilities from across Los Angeles County who reflect on identity, resilience, and what true inclusion looks like—in work, relationships, and daily life. Through their voices, we are invited to consider the everyday truths and challenges of living with a disability—and to recognize the strength, insight, and pride these perspectives bring.

The series is available on AD’s YouTube channel, with closed captions in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

Disability Pride Month also includes a significant milestone in the history of civil rights. On July 26, we mark National Disability Independence Day, which commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. This landmark legislation fundamentally changed the landscape of accessibility and opportunity for people with disabilities, enshrining protections in education, employment, transportation, and public life. While the ADA laid a critical foundation, the ongoing struggle for equity and full inclusion reminds us that progress is still needed.

Disability Pride Month is also a time for reflection, leadership, and advocacy. Carlos Benavides, President of the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities (LACCOD)., shares his perspective on what Disability Pride means to him and to the broader community. Read his full message on why pride, advocacy, and inclusion matter now more than ever.

In the lead-up to this month, our department recognized Autistic Pride Day with a webinar held on June 18, hosted by AD’s L.A. Found Program and LACCOD. The session focused on wandering prevention and available resources for individuals with autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs). The event featured remarks from Dr. Laura Trejo, as well as insights from guest speakers Lori McIlwain, co-founder of the National Autism Association, and representatives from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH), Lisa Schoyer and Franklin Romero. The conversation was moderated by LACCOD Commissioner Reena De Asis, founder of Inclusive Sol. A full recording of the session is available for public viewing on our department’s YouTube channel.

This Disability Pride Month, we honor the voices, leadership, and contributions of people with disabilities. We celebrate not only the laws that protect their rights, but the culture, identity, and community that affirm their value. Together, we continue to move toward a future where belonging is not conditional—and where every body, at every age, is seen, heard, and respected.

NOTE: To view all the videos in the playlist, click the icon in the top right corner of the video frame, next to the arrow button. This will open the full list of featured stories.