When is disability awareness month? Well, there isn’t one with that *exact* name, but there are actually plenty of observances throughout the year for people with disabilities. Here is a good Top 10 list to get you started.
- March – Developmental Disabilities Month
- May – Mental Health Awareness Month
- May’s 3rd Thursday – Global Accessibility Awareness Day
- July – Disability Pride Month
- July 26th – Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Awareness Day
- September – Pain Awareness Month
- September – Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
- October – National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- October 10th – World Mental Health Day
- December 3rd – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
There are many, many, many more. Here is a pretty extensive list where I bet you’ll find several to align with your own story and advocacy: Health and Disability Awareness Days, Weeks, Months
You can also pick an intersection that is meaningful to you. For example, during Women’s History Month (March), you can highlight the unique experiences of women with disabilities.
These are my favorite observances.
- February 12 – International Day of Women’s Health
- April – Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month
- May – Mental Health Awareness Month
- May – Arthritis Awareness Month
- May – Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Month
- May 12 – World Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
- July – Disability Pride Month
- September – Pain Awareness Month
- October – National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
How can you participate in a disability awareness month or day? Here are some ideas.
- Volunteer.
- Donate.
- Participate in a fundraiser.
- Make time to educate yourself on the topic.
- Share resources.
- Organize an event at your workplace or community organization.
- Check in with yourself (self-care, treatment appointments, support group attendance, etc.).
- Share your own experiences! Check out this 3-minute excerpt from one of my virtual presentations: Reasons to Communicate About Invisible Disabilities (If you prefer text, this includes essentially the same content: Chapters 1 and 2 of *Talking Splat*)
