July is Disability Pride Month, and this year, we’re throwing a celebration! Join us at the Cooper Center (345 Walnut Street, Newton) on Sunday, July 19 for an afternoon of art, music, and community. The celebration will take place from 2-4pm, and you can drop by anytime. Adults and kids of all ages are welcome. Attend on your own, as a family, or with friends!

Schedule

2-4pm: Games and activities, community resource tables, refreshments, sensory-friendly room

2-3:30pm: Community art project facilitated by artist Bill Porter - help create a Disability Pride quilt!

2:30pm: Welcome and performance by local jazz musicians Oskar & Friends

3:30pm: Performance by Oskar & Friends and presentation of the Disability Pride quilt

The celebration will include…

Games and activities: Enjoy games like chess, Connect Four, Braille Uno and dominos, a sign language card game, and more. Explore disability history through posters highlighting notable figures, and pick up handouts of recommended reading for all ages.

Community art project: Help make a Disability Pride quilt. Everyone is invited to create a square of a quilt celebrating Disability Pride in this collaborative project facilitated by artist Bill Porter. We will have space to craft a quilt square in our main event space, and there will also be supplies to make a square in the sensory-friendly room on the second floor. At 3:30pm, we will present the quilt to the community.

Performances: Local jazz musicians Oskar & Friends will perform twice during the celebration.

Food: Enjoy a selection of refreshments courtesy of Wegmans. Everything will be labeled with ingredients and allergen information.

Community resource tables: Connect with local organizations, learn about the resources available in our community, and discover how to get involved.

Sensory-friendly room: If you’d like a quieter environment, visit our sensory-friendly room on the second floor, which will have books, coloring materials, fidget toys, and materials to make a portion of the Disability Pride quilt community art project.

The location of this event is wheelchair accessible. CART captioning will be provided during remarks and performances.

Children 9 years old and younger must be accompanied and supervised by their caregiver at all times. 

This program is presented in partnership by the Newton Commission On Disability, the Newton Free Library, and Understanding Our Differences.