Mayor Proclaims March as "Spread the Word: Inclusion" Month

Spread the Word: Inclusion is a global campaign working towards inclusion for all people with intellectual and development disabilities. The campaign is committed to changing communities, schools, and workplaces to ensure that individuals, with and without intellectual disabilities, can feel seen, heard, and valued. The City of Dunkirk is proud of our residents who lead happy and productive lives regardless of any disabilities and it's our opportunity is to not only tear down the discrimination and stigma of the past, but to also build an inclusive future.

The Make A Mark Self Advocacy Group based out of the Resource Center in Dunkirk would like to get the word out of the annual campaign to raise awareness of the fact that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities still sometimes face exclusion, social isolation, and social abuse in schools, workplaces and communities. They want to champion speaking up against the wrong and demeaning use of the R-Word as well as using this language to demean and hurt people. They believe that the world would be a better place if people valued, respected and embraced all people with education in regard to the importance of inclusion because people with disabilities are part of what makes a community. Everyone is encouraged to take the pledge to go all-inclusive by logging onto Spread the Word: Inclusion .