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Disability commission maps Disability Pride Month outreach, reviews ADA transition plan and outreach tools
Summary
Commissioners discussed Disability Pride Month planning, partner outreach (libraries, neighboring commissions, colleges), interpreter funding options and the commission's advisory role in the city's ADA transition plan.
Commission members sketched plans for Disability Pride Month 2026 and discussed how the commission can advance priorities in the city's ADA transition plan.
Emma Cornwell and others asked which local partners could help host events; Forbes Library responded positively, and the group discussed outreach to neighboring commissions in East Hampton, Amherst and South Hadley, as well as possible college groups to assist with interpreter support. One participant noted that the planning department maintains a revolving fund that can cover interpreter costs for city events, but that the fund applies to city events only.
Members emphasized making educational materials widely accessible. Commissioner Amy Lton said the group settled on promoting "know your rights" content and recommended multi-format delivery: flyers, audio and video plus QR codes. "That's always appropriate. You should always know your rights," she said. Asher Henriks, who has experience with instructional design, urged multiple access avenues and translation into Spanish and other Commonwealth languages to reach residents with varied communication needs.
The commission also revisited the city's ADA transition plan and the commission's role. Councelor Dubs described the plan as a citywide guideline requiring action across departments and said the commission's role is advisory: raising awareness, recommending priorities (for example, snow-removal procedures that protect accessible pedestrian routes) and bringing suggestions to the city council. The commission agreed to gather availability for July events and to coordinate scheduling with Forbes Library; members flagged July 26 (the ADA anniversary) as a potential date of interest.
Next steps: the commission will contact partners (Forbes Library and neighboring commissions), identify readers and program hosts (preferably people with disabilities), confirm interpreter logistics and finalize one primary July event time from the slots identified during the meeting.
