Disability Pride Weekend featured in Bellingham Herald

First Bellingham Inclusion Festival, Disability Pride Comedy celebrate belonging

By Hailey LeRoy

As July marks 36 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, Bellingham is celebrating with a jam-packed weekend of events. Inclusion Festival Both a hub for disability resources and a celebration for Disability Pride Month, Whatcom Center for Early Learning’s (WCEL) new — and free — Inclusion Festival invites Bellingham residents of all abilities to Zuanich Park on July 26.

Event coordinator Jacquee Sovereign said that, while the event was initially planned purely as a celebration, it has since grown to offer resources and reduce barriers faced by those with marginalized identities. “I’m really excited to have an event where people have the ability to just walk up to a booth and right then and there sign up for services if they want to,” Sovereign told The Bellingham Herald. Since 1973, nonprofit Whatcom Center for Early Learning has provided support for children ages three and under with developmental delays. It is one of three agencies in Whatcom County to provide Early Support for Infants and Toddlers. “This event is filling a need. And that’s really cool to be a part of leading that and creating an event that actually is filling a need for Whatcom County and Whatcom County folks who live here,” Sovereign said.

Organizers told The Bellingham Herald that WinkWink’s first annual Disability Pride Fest in 2023 planted the seed for the festival. Sovereign said the event is the beginning of an annual tradition WCEL hopes to continue. WCEL’s outreach team will have a booth to connect festival-goers to their programs. Patrons should also expect to see resource tabling by event partners such as Max Higbee Center, Cascade Connections and Summit Assistance Dogs. In total, more than 30 businesses and nonprofits are collaborating with the WCEL to put on the event.

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