As he grew older and found friends within the disabled community, Rios said he learned to accept and thrive with his blindness.Įvery July, Rios said he's reminded that he doesn't need the sympathy of others – just the acceptance of his disability.
When he was 10, he recalls his mother praying and asking God why her son was "cursed" with blindness.
It is the second-largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 292,969 in 2016. Rios, who is blind, said he grew up hearing his family and adults talk about his disability as if it were a disease or burden. Henderson, officially the City of Henderson, is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about 16 miles southeast of Las Vegas. Moving away from 'special needs': Disability advocates, experts implore you to stop saying 'special needs' The month is a chance to honor each person's uniqueness as "a natural and beautiful part of human diversity," according to America's Disability Community. In that same year, Boston held the first Disability Pride Day.Īlthough Disability Pride Day isn't nationally recognized, parades are held in a number of places nationwide, such as Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, San Antonio and more. In 2015, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared July Disability Pride Month in celebration of the ADA’s 25th anniversary. Bush on July 26, 1990, a landmark law that prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed by President George H.W. For Anthony Rios, it's about accepting that his disability makes him different, not worse. For Tiffany Yu, Disability Pride Month is about recognizing her disability as an integral part of who she is.