Gov. Phil Murphy names July Disability Pride Month in New Jersey

Gene Myers, NorthJersey.com
·2 min read
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Gov. Phil Murphy has declared July Disability Pride Month, calling for more awareness of the contributions made by New Jersey’s 1.85 million residents with disabilities.

What Murphy said

“People with disabilities are vital members of their communities and residents of our great state,” Murphy said in a June 27 proclamation, adding, “Through the advocacy work of people with disabilities, all residents gain greater understanding and acceptance of disabled peoples' capabilities and contributions.”

What advocates said

Rutgers University Professor Javier Robles, who chairs the advocacy group Disability Action Committee, said the declaration “is great.” But July should also be a reminder “that there is much work to be done.”

His group, which represents various disability groups statewide, was founded during the COVID-19 pandemic and published a scathing report in 2020 that outlined the ways in which the state failed to protect its residents with disabilities.

Javier Robles is a professor at the Rutgers Kinesiology and Health Department. He spoke at Adaptive Sports Day at Rutgers University giving students a chance to learn how sports can be played to include those with disabilities. The program took place at the Rutgers/Douglass Recreation Center in New Brunswick, NJ on October 21, 2022.
Javier Robles is a professor at the Rutgers Kinesiology and Health Department. He spoke at Adaptive Sports Day at Rutgers University giving students a chance to learn how sports can be played to include those with disabilities. The program took place at the Rutgers/Douglass Recreation Center in New Brunswick, NJ on October 21, 2022.

“We need greater resources invested for education, emergency preparedness, community living and independence, and the workforce of mainly women of color who make it possible for people with disabilities to live and thrive in their own communities,” Robles said.

More: $1M state fund helped make life easier for those with hearing loss. So why was it shelved?

What officials said

While there are strides to be made, there have also been a number of wins in recent times, said state disability ombudsman Paul Aronsohn.

In his latest report, he highlighted as examples both the rise in funding for disability programs and the creation of a statewide framework to enhance interactions between law enforcement and people with disabilities.

“Personally, I am proud to be a part of New Jersey’s large, diverse, and robust disability community, and I am proud to serve it. Individually and collectively, there are many reasons we should all feel a real sense of pride,” said Aronsohn.

The proclamation made in the name of “disability pride” says the campaign seeks to encourage people to unite and promote “greater public understanding that having a disability is only one part of the many attributes of an individual.”

But Mercedes Witowsky, executive director of the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, offers a wider perspective.

“Disability awareness is for everyone with or without a disability, since we are all connected and rely on each other as we navigate our life and communities," Witowsky said.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: July is now Disability Pride Month in NJ