Truro marks Disability Pride Month with celebration downtown

Fourth annual parade held by the People First of Nova Scotia Truro chapter

TRURO – For Meagan Negus, seeing the turnout at this year’s Disability Pride parade and community celebration in Truro makes her feel honoured. “There was a couple of people trying to even get me to give a little cheer or something, and I just, I got speechless.

I had tears pouring down my face. I couldn’t talk,” said Negus, who is the president of the People First of Nova Scotia (PFNS) Truro chapter. “It means a lot to me knowing the fact I’m not alone fighting for rights of people (with) disabilities.”

On July 17, the Truro chapter of PFNS held its fourth annual Disability Pride parade. Disability Pride Month is a global initiative observed in July to celebrate those with disabilities. It is also an observance dedicated to advocacy.

Around 100 people participated in the parade, which started at STEPs on Arthur and travelled to Civic Square, where a community gathering followed. “It was terrific,” Effie McManus, chairperson of the PFNS disability pride committee, said of the event’s attendance. “It made me feel really good and know that I did my job and I did it right,” she said with a laugh.

“I’m proud of myself, and everybody else.” McManus is also the vice-president of the PFNS Truro chapter. PFNS is a non-profit organization with several chapters across the province.

It is a movement for people with intellectual disabilities, helping them find their voice and speak out for themselves. To Negus, Disability Pride Month is about those with disabilities working together to champion their own community. “To me, that is a long month of people coming together with disabilities, showing we’re working as a team to get ...

our voices heard, have our rights met, and just working as a team to grow things for a better life for a person with a disability.”