Mayor proclaims March as National Disabilities Awareness Month after Shangri La presentation

The Keizer City Council issued a proclamation March 3 recognizing March 2025 as National Disabilities Awareness Month and October 2025 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Ashley Urban, director of community engagement for Shangri La — a nonprofit that provides services for people with disabilities in Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Linn, Benton and Lane counties — spoke to the council before the proclamation. Urban described the nonprofit’s community employment services, residential programs in Keizer, and outreach projects such as a yellow-napkin disability-literacy campaign planned for July. She said Shangri La serves about 700 people in the region and urged the council and community to “presume competence” and to focus interactions primarily on the person with a disability rather than their support staff.

Mayor Cathy Clark read the formal proclamation, which cites the 1987 and 1988 federal recognition of developmental-disability awareness and disability-employment awareness months and calls on employers, schools and community organizations to increase accessibility and employment opportunities. The mayor offered copies of the book Demystifying Disability as a resource and invited collaboration between the city and local service providers.

Why this matters: the proclamation is ceremonial but highlights local nonprofit partnerships and the city’s stated commitment to accessibility and employment for people with disabilities. Shangri La described local employment partnerships and residential services based in Keizer.

What’s next: the mayor and staff said the proclamation will be added to the city’s collection for public reference and staff will continue to work with Shangri La and local businesses on outreach and inclusion efforts.