It’s time to see people, not punchlines.

Hey, did you hear the one about the annual event that promotes independence, integration, and inclusion of all people with disabilities?

Each March, we celebrate Disability Awareness Month throughout Indiana. On this, the 30th year for this important event, we chose the theme “People, Not Punchlines” to acknowledge an ugly truth: Persons with disabilities are sometimes turned into objects of ridicule. But rather than being the butt of a joke, each individual in our campaign uses humor to open a conversation and highlight ways in which we can all understand each other better.

There are 54 million Americans with disabilities. Adults and children with disabilities represent nearly a fifth of Indiana’s population. There’s nothing funny about the ignorance and naivety that often keep us from connecting with our fellow Hoosiers.

Join thousands of advocates and people with disabilities across the state by raising awareness and conducting an activity in your own community. It could be an art contest, or an awareness campaign, or a mayoral proclamation, or just about anything else! We welcome your conviction and creativity.

Visit our Downloads Library to access creative materials and ideas for promoting Indiana Disability Awareness Month in your school, business, or city. You can get a whole campaign kit with images to share on your social channels, test your knowledge, and even see how to host a virtual meet-up and help more of us see #PeopleNotPunchlines.

Want to continue the conversation about inclusion? We're making it easy. Click here to join one of our online discussions, on topics ranging from Representation and Decision Making to Gatekeeping and Intersectionality.

Thanks in advance for your efforts to help raise awareness and understanding of disability issues in Indiana!