July 1 - July 31, 2026
   

JULY 18 - AUGUST 17, 2026

July is Disability Pride Month 
Disability Pride Month is observed every July to celebrates disabled persons embracing their disabilities as integral parts of who they are, reclaiming visibility in public and interacting fully with their disabilities out in the open, and rejecting shame and internalized ableism, mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and push for full inclusion in everyday life. The 2026 theme is “The World Works Better with Us.”

This month we celebrate identity by encouraging people with disabilities to embrace their identity without shame and honor the diversity of the community.  Advocate for change by raising awareness about the ongoing barriers disabled individuals face and push for true equality in employment, healthcare, and daily living. Finally this month honors history by remembering the activists who fought for the ADA, including the historic 1990 "Capitol Crawl," where advocates physically pulled themselves up the steps of the U.S. Capitol to demand the legislation's passage.   

July is South Asian Heritage Month
Recognized from July 18-August 17th, Unity in Diversity is the theme for South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) 2026, celebrating the extraordinary breadth and richness of South Asian communities. South Asia is a vast region of extraordinary diversity (encompassing nations like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Afghanistan) with hundreds of languages, multiple faiths, and millennia of shared and distinct histories.

This theme invites us to explore what unites us across these differences, shared values, intertwined histories, a common commitment to community and belonging, while celebrating the beauty and strength that diversity brings. The month aims to showcase this rich, multifaceted cultural tapestry through art, food, music, and literature.

Quote(s) for the Week: 
"Accessibility is not a favor. It is the condition that makes participation possible." - Anonymous

"I'm officially disabled, but I'm truly enabled because of my lack of limbs. My unique challenges have opened up unique opportunities..." – Nick Vujicic, born in 1982 without limbs, leaving his parents and doctors stunned. Despite this, he has become a renowned motivational speaker.

"Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do just one thing well, you're needed by someone." - Martina Navratilova, Tennis legend, advocate and champion for change

Little known Month fact(s) of the day:
July is Disability Pride Month Fact:
 

 

July is South Asian Heritage Month Fact:
 

 

Business(es) of the week: (Click the business name and explore the website.)
Art-Reach - A Philadelphia nonprofit dedicated to making the arts accessible for people with disabilities and low-income communities. Through partnerships with museums, theaters, and cultural organizations, Art-Reach expands access to arts and cultural experiences while promoting inclusion throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.

The Arc of Philadelphia is leading the way in protecting the rights of and promoting opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. Their mission is to advocate with and for all children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, to promote active citizenship, self-determination, and full inclusion.

Entertainment of the week:
 

Book(s) of the week:

By Lachi

What if the most taboo parts of our identity — the parts we’re taught to mask—are exactly the ones that hold our greatest power? Lachi is an award-winning singer and leader who awakens the world to this truth: Disability has long shaped our culture and is an identity worth brazenly reclaiming. In this book, Lachi reveals why dropping the stigma is the ultimate glow-up and inspires readers to celebrate the boldest parts of themselves. With punchy humor and radical honesty, Lachi dismantles stereotypes and builds a new narrative of Disability identity.

by Megha Majumdar

A National bestseller and winner of the Andrew Carnegie medal for excellence, A Guardian and a Thief, is set in a near-future Kolkata, India in which two families seeking to protect their children must battle each other.

A family is just days away from joining their father in the U.S, when their immigration documents are stolen. In Kolkata, ravaged by climate change and hunger, a mother desperately searches for the documents, as the thief also fights to feed his family. Each operating from a place of ferocious love and undefeated hope for their children, each discovering how far they will go to secure their children’s future as they stave off encroaching catastrophe.

SPOTLIGHT Event(s) this Month:
JUNE 11 - July 19: FIFA Fan Festival (Lemon Hill) - FIFA Fan Festival is running June 11 – July 19 at Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park. Featuring live match broadcasts, entertainment, food, retail, and fan activities, FIFA Fan Festival™ at Lemon Hill brings supporters from around the world together in a shared celebration of the game. The only festival site in the country running for the entire tournament. Tickets are free but must be reserved online.

 

DEBI RESOURCES:
Mental Health America provides a 2026 Action Guide and toolkits.

Biodiversity Action Guide A guide highlighting 5 key strategies to put us on a more diverse and resilient path.

The Importance of Age Inclusion in the Workforce

Gender by Us ® is a research-backed, interactive training about the impact of gender norms and implicit bias. More importantly, it’s a discussion about what we can do as individuals to challenge our own biases and assumptions.

Toolbox for using gender-inclusive language in English This toolbox is to show you how to apply the gender-inclusive guidelines to any communication (oral, written, formal, informal) to make it more gender-inclusive.

Non-Binary Gender Inclusion: Key Concepts and Terms was created by the NALP Task Force to support Gender Non-Binary Individuals in the Legal Profession.

Article, “Supporting and Educating Colleagues on Gender Non-Binary Inclusion”

Bias Self-Assessment - Understanding, let alone eliminating, biases is not a quick or easy endeavor. It is an ongoing, lifelong effort to understand biases and engage in strategies to modify them. The goal of taking a self-assessment is to begin to raise consciousness about your biases. Please feel free to take one of the following tests and begin to understand what biases you may have and how did you feel about them.
Unconscious Bias Self-Assessment
Anti-Bias Behavior Worksheet

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The Office of Diversity strives to ensure greater opportunities for the inclusion of diverse attorneys, judges, paralegals and other essential staff in the legal profession. This is a fundamental element of the Association's Mission. As the hub of Philadelphia’s legal community, it is critical that the Philadelphia Bar Association promote a culture where all members are fully involved and empowered because they feel that they are welcome and that they belong.

Objectives for the Office of Diversity will focus on implementing consistent diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) standards across the Association, developing and delivering education and training on DEI principles, and developing new strategic partnerships for the Association on addressing DEI challenges in the legal profession and the community. The Office guides, supports and leads the DEI efforts for the entire Association, including the Association's Sections and Divisions, Committees, tasks forces and external efforts. The Office also serves as a partner to and resource for local Affinity Bar Associations/Organizations, attorneys, law firms and law students who seek support advancing diversity and inclusion.

For questions regarding the Association's efforts and commitment toward diversity and inclusion, please contact Tara D. Phoenix, Director of Continuing Legal Education/Associate Director Office of Diversity, at (215) 238-6349 or tphoenix@philabar.org.