UKIAH, CA., 3/29/25 – The Mendocino County Office of Education and its special education division will be hosting a fun-filled event for the city of Ukiah’s Disability Awareness Day. The event will celebrate people with disabilities and their contributions to the local community.
The event will be held April 6 from noon to 3 p.m. at Alex Thomas Plaza in Ukiah. It will feature a talent show, educational resources and lawn games. Attendees will be invited to make signs to honor Disability Awareness Day and participate in a group march. Local vendors will be selling food and snacks.
“We’re excited to help continue this tradition,” said Isaac Ramey, the Mendocino County Office of Education senior director of special education, in a press release for the event. “It’s a great opportunity for us to highlight the importance of inclusion and celebrate the contributions of every member of our community.”
For Fabiola Olimon Ramos, a local volunteer and lead organizer of the event, Disability Awareness Day is an opportunity for community members with disabilities to gather in a space they may not otherwise have.
“It will be for all community members, especially for those with special needs, and their parents, friends and family members,” Ramos said. “It’s important to celebrate them. Sometimes these families stay in their homes and don’t get to come out a lot.”
Ramos, who lives in Ukiah, has a personal history with disabilities because her daughter was diagnosed with Down syndrome as a baby.
“I want parents to come out and learn all of the resources,” she said.
Ramos noted that while she had a positive experience raising her daughter, it wasn’t like that for many families in the area.
“My experience was wonderful, but I hope everyone else can find the services they need and resources they need in this community,” she said.
Ramos first created the Disability Awareness Day event in 2023 when she organized a Down syndrome gathering in Ukiah for kids and their families. She said she wanted others in the community to feel comfortable sharing their stories and to feel accepted.
“They don’t want to come out because they don’t feel accepted. But it’s not a disability; it’s a different ability,” she said.
Ramos said these events help raise awareness and educate people about disabilities.
“Some parents do not know what resources are out there. And if you do early intervention, it makes a big difference,” she said.
When asked about her favorite parts of the event, Ramos said she especially loves the talent show because her daughter performs in it every year.
“I love the talent show because my daughter is a singer and a dancer,” Ramos added.
The Disability Awareness Day gathering is being sponsored by the Mendocino County Office of Education, the county education office’s Special Education Local Area Plan, the Redwood Coast Regional Center, the Raise & Shine Family Resource Center and several other local organizations.
To learn more about the event or to ask questions, you can call SELPA’s executive director Gina Danner at (707) 467-5173. You can also email gdanner@mendoselpa.us.