TAMPA, Fla. — For the past 33 years, July has been an important month for the disability community.
In July 1990, the Americans With Disabilities Act was signed, and Disability Pride Month was born.
Disability Pride Month celebrates disabled persons embracing their disabilities as integral parts of who they are.
Tampa Bay disabilities advocate Jamie Santillo said she does this every day and hopes others will take this opportunity to reframe how they may think about their disabilities.
"Disability Pride Month is just a way for everyone to celebrate inclusion and making the world more accessible," said Santillo, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair.
"I can't change the fact that I was born with muscular dystrophy. This is my life," said Santillo. "So living my life with pride means this is who I am, this is me, and you are not going to tell me, 'no, I can't.'"
Santillo is the disability liaison for Visit Tampa Bay and the owner of Adventures By Jamie, a travel agency that specializes in accessible travel.
As a disability liaison and travel agent, Santillo said she thinks about local accessibility every day. It was one of the reasons she chose to meet 10 Tampa Bay at Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa.
"I love coming here because it has miles of accessible boardwalks that allow you can get right into nature. It just is such an inclusive place. There are no boundaries for me here."
Disability Pride Month extends beyond physical disabilities, represented on the flag in red. Yellow represents cognitive and intellectual disabilities. White represents invisible and undiagnosed disabilities. Blue represents mental illness. Green represents sensory perception disabilities and black represents disabled people who have lost their lives due to their illness or negligence.
"It is a very inclusive month, and that's the hope, that that this won't be just in July, that it turns into, you know, disability pride year," said Santillo.
Santillo hopes non-disabled people celebrate this month by educating themselves about accessibility and the range of disabilities celebrated, or to just lead with acceptance and compassion.
As for disabled people who struggle to harness their pride, she hopes this month will be one of self-reflection.
"Look deep inside and know that you're special, know that you're capable, know that sure, the world might see you differently, but that's a beautiful, beautiful thing," said Santillo.