Local disability advocates will be holding a Disability Pride celebration Saturday as a way to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The event, which is in its third straight year of existence, will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St., by multiple local organizations including Independence Inc., LMH Health, the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas and the University of Kansas Center on Disabilities.

Rex Ellebracht, a local disability advocate and independent living specialist with Independence Inc., said the event will feature talks discussing the history and importance of the ADA and a lived experience panel where people with a variety of disabilities will share their experiences. The day will have a special significance because it celebrates the exact date 35 years ago when the landmark legislation was passed.

Many of the speakers and moderators at the event are with the KU Center on Disabilities, including Evan Dean, an Associate Director at the Center, and Karrie Shogren, the Director of the Center and a Professor in the Department of Special Education. Another representative from KU who will speak is Dot Nary, a retired KU professor who lives with spina bifida — a nerve condition that affects the spinal cord which can weaken the legs — who was a lobbyist to help the passage of the ADA.

Ellebracht said the discussion will celebrate the wins that the ADA brought to the community of people living with disabilities, but also discuss the work that still needs to be done.

“Obviously (the ADA) has not made things 100% perfect, but we’re making strides to make things better,” Ellebracht said.

Ellebracht has started a local limb loss support group with LMH Health, as the Journal-World reported, but the event will bring focus on how people with all types of disabilities have been impacted with the legislation. According to data from the CDC released in 2024, more than 70 million Americans — or 1 in 4 adults — have reported a disability. In Kansas, 28.8% of adults reported having any disability, including cognitive disabilities, vision disabilities or hearing disabilities. Ellebracht thinks it’s important to be sure stories of people who may have “invisible” disabilities are included in the discussion.

“It’s more than just physical disabilities, this event incorporates everybody,” Ellebracht said.

Along with the discussions, the event will also feature chances for the local disabled community to get together and share their experiences and perspectives on what their lives are like. Ellebracht also said there will be a hands-on demonstration from AUMI-KU, which will showcase Adaptive Use Musical Instruments that were designed for people with limited mobility to make music.

The event will take place at the Lawrence Public Library’s Auditorium from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday.