Support Ryan for Disability Pride!

It's time to get personal and share something close to my heart. About 18 months ago, I took a brave step that changed my life – I started therapy. 🙏

At first, it wasn't easy. But therapy has helped me unwind, cherish what I have, and find a better sense of happiness. During this journey, I discovered I have ADHD, which explained many challenges I faced. Knowing this has been a game-changer, allowing me to create better strategies to navigate neurotypical environments and enhance my relationships.

I committed to truly understanding myself. It's essential for navigating life with joy. Think of it like a compass – if it’s not calibrated correctly, it’ll mislead you. But once you find your true north, everything else seems less daunting.

This path of self-discovery led me to Kindering, a leading neurodevelopmental center in the Pacific Northwest. Here, I found my calling to support issues that resonate deeply with me.

July is Disability Pride Month, celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in July 1990. In honor of this, Kindering is hosting its first-ever Disability Pride Celebration on July 30th at Bellevue's Crossroads Park.

This event will celebrate the disability and neurodivergent community with family-friendly activities and information booths for people of all abilities, identities, and backgrounds.

I’ve set a fundraising goal of $999.99 for the Move-A-Thon. It would mean the world if you could support me with a donation. Small contributions, over time, and lots of people, make the most significant impact. If everyone in my network donated $1.00, I’d reach my goal easily. 🙌

The power of collective and kind actions makes a huge difference. Let’s make a difference together! 💪 ✨

Let’s start this journey together! Whether an individual or a group, you can join hands and form a Move-A-Thon team, uniting for a common cause! Don't forget to register for the event if you have not already done so.

1. Join a team, donate or form your squad, unleash your creativity, and make a team name representing your support spirit. The colors of the disability pride flag and their meanings can be a great source of inspiration!

• Red: Physical disabilities

• Gold: Neurodiversity; cognitive and intellectual disabilities

• White: Invisible disabilities and disabilities that are undiagnosed

• Blue: Emotional and psychiatric disabilities, including anxiety, depression, and mental illness

• Green: Sensory disabilities, including deafness, blindness, lack of taste or smell, and audio-processing disorders

2. Send your fundraising page/link to your community, and take pride in your fundraising work!

3. On July 30th, we will celebrate our collective fundraising at Crossroads Park in Bellevue. You can wiggle, walk, stim, rock, roll, shake, dance, crawl, or any-way-that-works-for-your-body!

The below video gives an overview of creating a team and getting started (self-service). For white-glove service, please contact Ryan Fonda (ryan.fonda@kindering.org or 425-362-6420) to set up a team on your behalf or to receive templated messages (email, text, or social media). For team setup, please provide the following information:

• Do you want to build and captain a team, or are you individually fundraising?
• What do you want your team's name (or individual page) to be?
• There are two goals. Individual goals and team goals. What is your personal goal, and what is your team's goal? For example, Emily, the fundraiser, has a goal of $100.00. Her team, consisting of 4 other people, has a goal of $500.00.
• Photo (optional) for both yourself and your team.
• A description of your donation page (what you will share with other people to donate) and your team page; this is where all individual fundraising efforts are summarized to show the team's progress.