News Conference: Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony July 8, 2026

Celebrating Identity and Inclusion: City of Madison Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony. The City of Madison hosted its second Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ceremony & news conference took place on Wednesday, July 8, at 11:30 a.m. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford, disability advocates, and community leaders participated in the ceremony. "The disability community is a valuable part of Madison. With the growing threats of defunding disability services and possible institutionalization from our federal government, it is crucial that we vocally affirm who we are as a city. I will work to ensure that we are a city where dignity is not negotiable, and where everyone who calls Madison home knows they belong here," says Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford. Rebecca Hoyt, Disability Rights and Services Specialist for the City of Madison, and Nicki Vander Meulen, MMSD school board member and disability rights advocate, also spoke at the news conference. “At a time when legislatures seek to push us back to institutions, health agencies seek to cure, and institutions bury our histories, we must exist together in bold audacious pride,” says Hoyt. July is nationally recognized as Disability Pride Month. The ceremony will honor the strength and resilience of the disability community while highlighting Madison’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and accessibility for all residents.