Hello Alamo, and happy first day of Disability Pride Month!
Sans community news, events, etc., I will focus on personal musings about disability and ableism, building accessible community, and specific lessons us crips have had to learn far sooner than many that would benefit all of us. I would also love to invite my disabled community members and friends to write about their experiences to be cross-posted on my blog.
However, today I want to reflect on the event the Humanists put on over the weekend.
I am a queer person. I’ve been relatively open about that on this blog. As I said, having some organizing power behind me as president is nice. So when it was suggested that we participate in some kind of Pride event, there was no going back for me. I deserve to celebrate my humanity, and so does every other queer person in Alamogordo.
We only had about a month to put everything together. The venue was fairly small anyway, so planning wasn’t too hectic when I reliably delegated out tasks. It also really helped that I had a nice little collection of personalities helping out: crafty friends, tall friends, extroverted friends, friends with booming voices, etc.
The one lesson I have picked up from almost a lifetime of disability that was very relevant here (and in most places): be humble and accept help when you need it.
Some community members showed up for us with donations, chairs and tables, food, decoration, their time and labor setting up and taking down, and even a momento to commemorate my first event from the venue owner, Rosemarie Ferrara. Ultimately it was a very rewarding experience to put on a local event in the month of June. Did you know one of the closest places that puts on June Pride events until this year (go Cruces, Ruidoso, and Alamo!) is El Paso?
I did learn quite a few lessons. Set up went well, but all the finer details need to be rock-solid and quickly doable. I got there to start decorating shortly after 2, and the next thing I knew, it was already 430. Despite being receptive to help, sometimes I had no idea what someone could do to help me when they asked. And since, I have gotten some feedback that was a silly, obvious oversight on my part. The event was imperfect, but it was our first, and importantly, it was something this city’s queer community desperately needed.
I hope the Otero Humanists can continue to provide opportunities like that. And I hope to see you at our next meeting on the library patio Saturday at 3pm.
Salud!
No responses yet