The Portland Commission on Disability (PCOD) is offering storytelling workshops for those interested in performing their stories at their 25th anniversary celebration of the ADA and/or a video project.

• Do you have a story to share with others about your lived experience with Disability?
• Do you have an experience to share about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
• Are you able to commit to attending four storytelling workshops and one final performance?

What: Four personal narrative storytelling workshops & one public performance
When: Workshops Wednesdays July 1, 8, 15, & 22, 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Office of Equity and Human Rights, 421 SW 6th Avenue, 5th Floor, Portland, OR 97204
Performance: Sunday, July 26, 1-5pm
Performance: Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), 10301 NE Glisan Street, Portland, OR 97220

For questions on how to participate, volunteer, or sponsor, contact Phillip Hillaire, 25th ADA Event Coordinator, at 503-823-5146.

Also, please consider attending the other two events Portland has to celebrate the 25th. There’s a kick-off event and the Opening Ceremony of the Disability History Exhibit, “Advocating Change Together”. ASL interpretation and descriptive services are provided. And on July 21st, Portland State University is hosting a celebration on the Park Blocks at noon. ASL interpretation is provided.

You can read about all three events and contact info on the PCOD website.

To get involved in the storytelling project, please don’t delay. Workshops start on July 1st, just around the corner. Workshops and the performance event are all on public transit lines. I hope tons of people sign up. I’m in Texas much of this summer. So I can’t make it to the workshops. I’ll definitely be at the event on July 26th, ready to cheer on the sharing of history and using storytelling to work toward making the future a more equitable time and place.