CPA celebrates Disability Pride month: “We Belong Here, and We’re Here to Stay”

This July, Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) proudly celebrated Disability Pride Month, a global movement that honours the strength, identity, and lived experiences of people with disability.

With this year’s powerful theme, “We Belong Here, and We’re Here to Stay,” we joined a growing community of advocates calling for acceptance, inclusion, and equity in every aspect of life.

Disability Pride Month is more than a celebration; it’s a call to action. It’s a reminder that every person deserves to feel respected, included, and valued, and that people with disability should always be made to feel welcome in our communities, schools, workplaces, and public spaces.

At CPA, inclusivity is not just a value, it’s how we work every day. From creating accessible services and workplaces, to supporting lived experience leadership through programs like our Young Changemakers course, we’re committed to building a future where everyone can thrive.

What we celebrated

Throughout the month, CPA:

• Shared stories and information across our channels to raise awareness and uplift lived experience
• Promoted everyday allyship, with practical tips for inclusive behaviour in meetings, conversations and workspaces
• Recognised the meaning of the Disability Pride Flag, which reflects the rich diversity within the disability community
• Encouraged staff and supporters to listen, learn and act—with resources and insights from our internal ConnectIBILITY employee network

Why it matters

While progress has been made, people with disability still face barriers, from inaccessible systems to unfair assumptions.

As Nicholas Lapsley, CPA’s Impact and Equity Coordinator, wrote:

“We’ve come a long way, but there’s still more to do.”

That’s why CPA continues to push for change – within our organisation, in the community, and across the world. Our advocacy, services, and research are all powered by people with disability, and designed to support inclusion at every stage of life.

How you can be involved

Whether you’re new to the conversation or a long-time advocate, you can support Disability Pride all year round by:

• Listening to lived experience with empathy
• Speaking up against and discrimination
• Creating accessible, flexible, and welcoming environments
• Asking respectful questions, and honouring boundaries