LEAP Cleveland

Happy Juneteenth! Today marks a pivotal moment in history, celebrating freedom and the ongoing pursuit of justice for all. As we reflect on liberation, let's also remember that true freedom means equitable access and opportunity for EVERYONE, including people with disabilities. The fight for disability rights is deeply intertwined with the broader struggle for human dignity and self-determination.

In observance of Juneteenth, the LEAP office will be closed today. We encourage everyone to take time to learn, reflect, and celebrate.

As we continue to celebrate Pride Month, LEAP was honored to participate in the march downtown at Pride in the CLE this past weekend with our friends from the Youth Challenge Alumni group. We believe in acceptance and inclusion of ALL people, regardless of our differences and will continue to advocate for a more accepting and diverse community.

LEAP was happy to work with our neighbor, the West Side Market, Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center, and the Cleveland Sight Center to put on the Disability Access Day at the Market yesterday. We are proud of the efforts that the Market is taking to make its space more accessible and inclusive.

LEAP’s Community Engagement Specialist, Saphire Murphy, was interviewed by Channel Five news during the event. To see the news piece, click on the link below.

West Side Market bringing new accessibility upgrades As Cleveland’s historic West Side Market continues its renovations, part of the improvements focus on making the market more accessible for people with disabilities.

Join the rally on Tuesday, June 9th, to raise your voice and be heard!

LEAP is loving Pride in the CLE! The temporary tattoos TJ designed are a hit!

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈 This month, we celebrate the beautiful diversity of the LGBTQ+ community, and we also want to shine a light on the incredible intersectionality within it. Many individuals identify as both LGBTQ+ and as a person with a disability, facing unique challenges and triumphs.

True inclusion means recognizing and celebrating ALL identities. Just as the fight for LGBTQ+ rights is a fight for human dignity and equality, so is the fight for disability rights. Both movements champion accessibility, respect, and the right to live authentically and without discrimination. Let's continue to build a world where everyone, in all their forms, feels safe, valued, and empowered.

LEAP will have a table at Pride in the CLE tomorrow and would love to see you there! For more information about the event click here:
https://lgbtcleveland.org/pride/

The LEAP offices will be closed today in observance of Memorial Day.

We are so excited to announce that Beth Glas, LEAP’s Executive Director, has been recognized as a Cleveland 230 honoree “Coalition Builder.” It is so well deserved!

The Cleveland 230 celebrates the individuals whose leadership, impact, and contributions have helped shape Cleveland’s story and continue moving our city forward. This is part of One Cleveland, the Cleveland Public Library’s citywide civic pride campaign.

To read Beth’s profile and see other honorees, click this link: https://cpl.org/onecle/230/beth-glas/

To watch a video featuring the Coalition Builders, click this link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hw_XyQgczE

To learn more about One Cleveland, click this link: https://cpl.org/onecle/

Happy Global Accessibility Awareness Day!! 🌍

May 21st is Global Accessibility Awareness Day! Let's talk about making the digital world inclusive for everyone. Did you know that accessible tech helps people with disabilities AND improves usability for all? Small changes, like adding alt text to images or captioning videos, can make a HUGE difference.

Click here if you’re interested in learning more: https://accessibility.day/

Image description: A graphic of GAAD in a circle with a keyboard at 5:00 next to the text Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

GAAD Thursday, May 15, 2025, help us celebrate the 14th Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)! The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the more than One Billion people with disabilities/impairments.