News Conference: Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony July 8, 2026

News Conference: Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony July 8, 2026

July 8, 2026 · 16 min

About this episode

The episode covers the City of Madison's Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony, celebrating the disability community and advocating for inclusion and equity.

Celebrating Identity and Inclusion: City of Madison Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony. The City of Madison hosted its second Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ceremony & news conference took place on Wednesday, July 8, at 11:30 a.m. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford, disability advocates, and community leaders participated in the ceremony. "The disability community is a valuable part of Madison. With the growing threats of defunding disability services and possible institutionalization from our federal government, it is crucial that we vocally affirm who we are as a city. I will work to ensure that we are a city where dignity is not negotiable, and where everyone who calls Madison home knows they belong here," says Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford. Rebecca Hoyt, Disability Rights and Services Specialist for the City of Madison, and Nicki Vander Meulen, MMSD school board member and disability rights advocate, also spoke at the news conference. “At a time when legislatures seek to push us back to institutions, health agencies seek to cure, and…

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: City of Madison, MMSD

Books & works: Americans with Disabilities Act

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