In 2023, Michigan State University (MSU) designated October as Disability Pride Month through a collaborative effort between the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (IDI) and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). Although Disability Pride Month is traditionally celebrated in July to honor the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), MSU recognized that much of its campus community is absent during the summer. 

By choosing October, MSU can engage a broader audience and connect its celebration with other important observances such as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and World Mental Health Day. The university is committed to celebrating the accomplishments of disabled individuals while furthering advocacy and education on campus.

Last year marked a significant moment as IDI unveiled the Disability Pride Guide, which highlights MSU events, individuals and organizations focused on disability work. The guide also serves as a resource hub for the campus community, allowing individuals to engage with educational materials on disabilities all year long. 

Events and Activities

This October, a variety of events were scheduled to educate and engage the MSU community. The 2024 Disability Pride Month lineup included:

• Adaptive Sports Day (Oct. 5): An event featuring adaptive sports like trasketball and handcycling, hosted by the Council of Students with Disabilities (CSD), MSU Rec Sports, and the MSU Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club.
• Disability Justice with Lydia X.Z. Brown (Oct. 7): A virtual talk on disability justice, led by Lydia X.Z. Brown, a prominent disability advocate and figure.
• Love, Simeon (Oct. 10): A cinema workshop exploring medical-industrial themes, hosted by HIVES.
• Disability Bingo (Oct. 10): A fun, trivia-based event held at Bessey Hall to raise awareness about disability.
• Disability Zine Making Workshop (Oct. 23): A creative workshop for expressing thoughts on disability through zine-making, hosted by MSU Libraries.

Other events, like the collaboration with Strange Matter Coffee featuring disability-themed stickers on all to-go cups, underscore MSU’s commitment to raising awareness in unique and accessible ways. 

Reflections from the Community

Students and community members are at the heart of Disability Pride Month. Colleen Floyd, Access Specialist for RCPD and co-staff advisor for the CSD, emphasizes the importance of fostering disability identity within higher education. "Identifying as disabled or having pride in one's disability is a complex, personal experience," Floyd notes. "But I want people to know there is community here. I hope we can celebrate disability and disability pride year-round, but this month is an opportunity to come together and have disabled MSU members rewrite the narrative for themselves."

Floyd also highlights that disability is often viewed through the lens of accommodations and compliance in higher education, but this approach misses key aspects of the disability experience. "While accommodations are important, they don't fully capture what disability means. Disability Pride Month is a chance for MSU to show its dedication to access and inclusion and to recognize that disability is a vital aspect of diversity," Floyd says.

Disability Pride Month at MSU is an important occasion to honor the strength, resilience, and contributions of individuals with disabilities. Through a variety of events and initiatives, the university seeks to foster a community that values diversity and advocates for equality. As Colleen Floyd states, “Disability needs to be included in diversity efforts across campus. I hope we can continue to create spaces where folks feel safe and comfortable bringing their whole selves, where we can talk about our disabilities and access needs without shame or fear of negative consequences.”

Whether you are attending an event, engaging with the Disability Pride Guide or finding other ways to get involved, October has been a month of opportunities to join the movement toward a more inclusive MSU. 

Author: Hanah Khan, student communications assistant