First Friday in Grand Center: Disability Pride

Start the first Friday of the month with art, music, and culture in the Grand Center Arts District.

This month, we’re pleased to host a special First Friday celebrating Disability Pride month, which marks the anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. Visitors who are Deaf and hard of hearing are invited to kick off the event with a special happy hour in partnership with DEAF Inc. Next, writer, speaker, and disability activist Katie Banister will provide a presentation including her personal story, her vision as President of Access-4-All of “full inclusion where everyone counts and has access to a fulfilled and truly accessible life,” and a discussion of the role that poetry and creativity play in turning anger into art. Finally, the evening will feature a poetry workshop for all ages and abilities that provides an easy way to generate your own poem.

ASL interpretation is provided between 6:00–9:00pm.

Schedule

• 5:00 pm Doors open
• 6:30–7:30 pm Deaf happy hour in collaboration with DEAF Inc., with complimentary drink tickets for members of the Deaf community
• 7:30 pm Presentation from Katie Banister
• 8:00 pm “Turning Anger into Art” poetry workshop

About the presenter

In 1990, Katie Rodriguez Banister survived an auto accident that left her a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chest down.  Katie is an author, motivational speaker, entertainer, and disability educator. Katie and her husband Steve co-founded Access-4-All in 1997 with a mission to educate and empower others through their publications & programs.