Thank YOU for Making the NJ Disability Pride Parade & Celebration 2015 a Success!

More than 700 people attended the 5th Annual NJ Disability Pride Parade, hosted by the Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) this past Friday, October 9th. The event featured some new artists to the venue including Lachi, Andrew Bambridge, Corevalay, AttachAvi Bollywood Dancers and Mana Hashimoto.

Also featured at the event was bubble artist Eddy Miller, a photo booth, food trucks, giveaways and raffles. The NJ Division of Disability Services raffled off emergency preparedness bags and a flash mob organized by Roll Call Wheelchair Dance got the crowd up dancing.

This Friday, October 9th is the 5th Annual NJ Disability Pride Parade & Celebration!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Carole Tonks, Executive Director, Alliance
Center for Independence Phone: (732) 738-4388 / E-mail: ctonks@adacil.org
Website: www.adacil.org

THE 5th ANNUAL NEW JERSEY DISABILITY PRIDE PARADE & CELEBRATION SET FOR OCTOBER 9th IN TRENTON, NJ Trenton, NJ (please note: this event was previously scheduled for October 2nd)

October also marks the first ever Disability Pride Month in New Jersey.

More than 600 people with disabilities, supporters, friends and organizations representing a wide variety of services throughout NJ will be converge in downtown Trenton for the NJ Disability Pride Parade and Celebration. The event will feature a variety of entertainers, all of whom have disabilities. These include folk musician Johnny Crescendo, singer, Mano Hashimoto, a blind dancer and choreographer who has performed internationally and recording artist Lachi. Drummer and dancer Sidiki Conte, from Guinea, West Africa will bring his brand of music to the event as will crowd favorite, Exceptional Dance Team, a troupe made up entirely of children with autism, will be returning for a third year.

POSTPONED: The NJ Disability Pride Parade and Celebration 2015 will be on Friday, October 9th

Due to pending Hurricane Joaquin, we made the decision to POSTPONE the parade. NEW DATE: Friday, October 9th. Same time, same place.

We appreciate your understanding and support and look forward to you joining us next on the 9th! We anticipate a great event...with lots of sunshine!!

Check our website and Facebook page for updates.

Plan on joining us? Let us know by registering!

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Brian Mazzarella and filed under NJDPP.

Join the Roll Call Wheelchair Dance Flash Mob at NJDPP!

Roll Call Wheelchair Dance invites one and all to participate in a dance flash mob at the 5th annual NJ Disability Pride Parade in Trenton!

The flash mob will be dancing to the song Happy by Pharrell Williams. Feel free to join the line dance at ANY point in the song!

Tell Us Why YOU Should be the Parade Marshal for NJDPP 2015!

Let us know why you have what it takes to be the Parade Marshal for #NJDPP 2015! Send us your essay (no more than 100 words) by September 4th and we will choose a Grand Marshal to lead the parade! Please include a picture of yourself with the submission.

You can email your paragraph to NJDisabilityPride@adacil.org with NJDPP Marshal in the subject line or mail a hard copy to ACI. Entries will be chosen by committee.

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Brian Mazzarella and filed under NJDPP.

Thank You for Making the NJ Disability Pride Parade a Success in 2014!

Five hundred people from throughout NJ and neighboring states attended the 4th annual NEW JERSEY DISABILITY PRIDE PARADE & CELEBRATION on Friday, October 3rd, in Trenton, NJ. The event was once again organized by the Alliance Center for Independence (ACI).

NJDPP featured a variety of entertainers, all of whom have disabilities. These included R&B singer Naquela Wright, singer and Hollywood actress Rachel Handler, vocalist Kaleigh Brendle, comedian Damon Rozier, Joy's Exceptional Dancers, a dance troupe made up of children with autism, Shimmying Lotus an integrated modern belly dance troupe, hip-hop dancer Christina "C-Bunny" Sarni and the Arc Mercer's music and drama programs.

Patrice Jetter, the grand marshal, kicked off the event by leading the parade, which began at the steps of the NJ State House. As part of the parade, the Mercer County Special Services School District's drum line performed while they marched alongside other participants. Ryan Henry, a member of the drum line, sang the national anthem to open the celebration portion of the day.

As a tribute to veterans with disabilities, the Army National Guard, based out of Lawrenceville, displayed flags which represented all the branches of the US Armed Forces.

Joseph Amoroso, director of the NJ Division on Disability Services, and Alice Hunnicutt, director of the NJ Division of Rehabilitation Services, were both honored for their support of the NJDPP and ACI.

22 exhibitors representing various state, for profit and not for profit organizations, gave out literature and resources for the event participants. The NJ Division of Disability Services raffled off emergency "go kits" at their emergency preparedness pavilion.

The purpose of the New Jersey Disability Pride Parade is to bring people, organizations and businesses together to celebrate pride with the disability community and to promote the belief that disability is a natural and beautiful part of human diversity while generating national awareness for the disability community.

NJDPP relies solely on sponsorship, donations and in-kind services. This year's sponsors include Brownstone Diner & Pancake Factory in Jersey City, the NJ Division on Disability Services, Fun Truck'n Mobility, BCB Community Bank of Woodbridge, LifeLong Retirement Corp, Community Access Unlimited, the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities and Easter Seals.

ACI is proud to have organized and hosted NJDPP for the past 4 years. We would like to thank the all of the volunteers, sponsors, donors, performers, participants and the disability community for making this event a continuing success and showing the world what disability pride really is!

See you next year!

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Brian Mazzarella and filed under NJDPP, Press Release.

Help us spread the word about #NJDPP!

The 4th Annual NJ Disability Pride Parade and Celebration is only three weeks away! Help us get the word out to your constituents. We are asking for all organizations and agencies to put the following in your newsletters and social network pages:

The 4th New Jersey Disability Pride Parade and Celebration, sponsored by the Alliance Center for Independence, will take place on Friday, October 3rd from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM in downtown Trenton, NJ. The purpose of the event is to bring people, organizations and businesses together to celebrate pride with the disability community and to promote the belief that disability is a natural and beautiful part of human diversity while generating national awareness for the disability community.

The NJ Disability Pride Parade and Celebration will feature entertainers, singers, dancers, musicians and comics, all with disabilities. The day will also include a parade through downtown Trenton, face painting, t-shirts, exhibitors and giveaways!

For more information, including exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, please visit njdisabilitypride.com.

If you have any questions, send an email to njdisabilitypride@adacil.org or contact Carole or Luke at ACI.

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Brian Mazzarella and filed under NJDPP.