The History of Disability Pride and Protest in Denver and Boulder

The meeting focused on a presentation by Sonja about the history of disability pride and protest in Denver and Boulder. Sonja shared their personal connection to the disabled community and explained why they care about disability history. They highlighted the work of the Atlantis community and the ADAPT movement, including the Smith v. O'Halloran case and the Gang of 19 transportation protests. Sonja discussed the impact of these actions, such as the creation of the first accessible bus fleet in Denver and the installation of curb cuts. They also spotlighted key figures like Michael Smith, Mike Oxford, Laura Hershey, and Jennifer Keelan Chaffins. The presentation covered the Capitol Crawl and its role in the passage of the ADA. Sonja provided a brief history of disability services and accessibility efforts at CU Boulder. They concluded by mentioning local disabled organizations and artists like Alonzo Clemens. Host: Sonja Bones Speaker: Marysia Lopez