16 Landmarks Are Lighting Up for Invisible Disabilities Week
Next week (Oct 18th-24th) is Invisible Disabilities Week, and I'm so excited to have gotten 15 buildings/monuments across nine Canadian cities and three provinces (update: now 16 locations in 10 cities with Newmarket joining!) lighting up to bring awareness to invisible disabilities! 🎉
IDW was founded by the Invisible Disabilities Association in 2014, and this is the fourth Invisible Disabilities Week that I've been open about the rare muscle disorder I was born with, Central Core Disease.
For my first IDW in 2023, I was floored to be named the winner of the "But You LOOK Good" Inspiration Award by the Invisible Disabilities Association (floored because the past winners include comedian Wayne Brady and TV personality Yolanda Hadid!).
In 2024 for my second IDW, I did an interview with Mississauga News for an article on a report that the cost of living in Mississauga for people with disabilities is up to 39% higher than for those without disabilities, and did my first corporate talk for Arc'teryx' disability-focused ERG.
Last year, I did another interview and corporate talk, and had 13 buildings across 10 cities light up to bring awareness to the invisible disabilities community.
An estimated up to 80% of disabilities are invisible/non-apparent, making it easier for them to be ignored or not supported by others, and harder for those living with them to advocate for themselves.
To me, Invisible Disabilities Week is about creating visibility and community for those living with them, and to encourage others to share their stories and experiences.
Maybe you're not ready to share your own experience yet. Maybe you use the week as a reason to open up. Or maybe next week you go looking for other people sharing theirs.
But if you're living with an invisible disability, however you choose to acknowledge it, I hope the week helps you feel less alone.
Because every time someone steps up and says who they are, the world becomes a better, more interesting place. ✨