Don't miss celebration of World Disability Day, Dec. 3
The first International Day of Persons with Disability (World Disability Day-WDD) that I celebrated was in New Delhi, India, in 2009. Before my Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) assignment with the National Trust, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, I had never heard of the International Day of Persons with Disability. Having worked as the director of an AIDS Services Organization in New London, Conn., I knew that Dec. 1 was World AIDS Day, but Dec. 3 had previously never been a day of special celebration and observance for me.
On Dec. 3, 2009, along with a few thousand people, I went to India Gate in New Delhi, and along with other disability activists we marched, heard speeches and created awareness about disability rights.
Every year since then, I have celebrated WDD with many others, both in India and Nepal. In India, I coordinated an India-wide awareness raising campaign called "Badhte Kadam" or "moving forward." In Nepal we marched through the streets of Kathmandu. I was even a co-host of a WDD celebration in Nepal with the UN.
When I came back to the United States in 2016, I continued on my path of working in the adapted sport field but wasn’t aware of celebrations where I was living in Tucson and then Durham. It wasn’t until I moved back to California and started living in the Coachella Valley that I suggested we start an annual celebration here.
Thanks to organizations such as Building Bridges for Special Needs, Coachella Valley; LEAPS Services and Desert Recreation District Adaptive; and SoCal Adaptive Sports we started our first celebration in 2020. It was small; we did a few sports in Palm Desert, had a few virtual sessions but nevertheless it was a start.
In 2021 The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens welcomed a collaboration for WDD, and the event, happening Dec. 3, will be even larger with numerous organizations participating.
The observance of WDD aims to promote an understanding of disability issues, mobilizing support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.
The year’s theme is "Not All Disabilities are Visible." Some disabilities, like mental health disorders, chronic pain and fatigue, are invisible — but that does not make them any less devastating to someone’s quality of life.
Creating a more inclusive society is a social justice issue. And the more we can embrace diversity, whether it’s ethnicity, sexuality, race, religion and disability, whether seen or not, the closer that we can get to living with greater understanding of all.
One of the main reasons to celebrate at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is that they are a certified Sensory Inclusive facility, through a partnership with nonprofit KultureCity. This new Sensory Inclusive initiative promotes an accommodating and positive experience for all guests with sensory needs who visit The Living Desert. Zoo. The zoo has also become a Certified Autism Center through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. The organization is dedicated to providing equal opportunities and accessibility so everyone can participate in memorable, engaging and inclusive experiences.
Please join a number of organizations working with people with disabilities at The Living Desert on Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to celebrate World Disability Day
Standard admission rates apply for entry into The Living Desert Zoo. One caregiver accompanying a person with a disability is eligible for complimentary admission. Resources for families and people with a disability will be available throughout the day.
For more information, contact Michael Rosenkrantz, SoCal Adaptive Sports, mike@socaladaptivesports.org or (760) 469-9207; Jordan Hopkins, The Living Desert, jhopkins@livingdesert.org, (760) 346-5694 ext. 2131.
Michael J. Rosenkrantz is the executive director of SoCal Adaptive Sports.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Don't miss celebration of World Disability Day, Dec. 3
