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Mayor's Committee forms working group to plan October 2025 Disability Awareness Festival
Summary
The Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities voted unanimously May 9 to form a working group and approve a list of community members to plan a Disability Awareness Festival targeted for October 2025 at Brent Gloop Plaza; commissioners also agreed to add the festival as a recurring agenda item through October.
The Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities voted unanimously May 9 to form a working group to plan a Disability Awareness Festival targeted for October 2025 and approved a list of community members and commissioners to serve on the group.
The working group will plan an outdoor festival proposed for Brent Gloop Plaza, between the lake and the Long Center, with music, staged performances and exhibitor tables. Committee members said the city has already passed a budget item to support the event, though the meeting record did not specify the amount.
"For a disability, that's what it's really critical. It is in the time is now," said Warren Snipes, one of the community presenters who introduced his production team's experience running disability-focused festivals. Ricardo Leon, who identified himself as a wheelchair user and founder of Disabled Goods, said he looked forward to contributing design and accessibility expertise. "I myself am a wheelchair user," Leon said.
Commissioners described the working group as an operational body that will coordinate logistics, sponsorships and accessibility details with city staff and community partners. The committee discussed practical items the working group will address, including event layout, interpreters and vendor/table assignments, marketing and whether the event should be daytime, evening or on a weekend.
Committee members agreed to add the festival working-group report as a recurring agenda item at future meetings so the full committee can monitor planning progress. Commissioner Lynn Murphy and Commissioner Lisa Chang volunteered to serve on the working group in addition to the community members the committee approved.
Votes at the meeting: the committee voted to form the working group and then voted to approve the following members: Commissioner Gabriel Arellano (chairing the effort), Commissioner Lynn Murphy, Commissioner Lisa Chang, Warren Snipes, Douglas Ridloff, Ricardo Leon, Heather Pavey, Amy Baxter and Michelle Lapis. Both votes passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.
Next steps identified in the meeting included beginning regular working-group meetings (Commissioner Arellano will coordinate) and returning brief status updates to the Mayor's Committee at each monthly meeting until the festival in October.
