On February 26, 2026, Governor Tina Kotek officially proclaimed March as Developmental Disability Awareness Month in Oregon, recognizing the importance of inclusion, visibility, and community for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the state.
To mark the occasion, the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) released a recorded reading of the proclamation by OCDD Chair Kelly McCauley. The reading highlights the ongoing work being done across Oregon to promote dignity, opportunity, and full participation in community life for people with developmental disabilities.
You can listen to the recorded proclamation here: https://www.ocdd.org/dd-awareness/
At Living Studios, our artists took part in honoring the proclamation in a creative way. While visiting the Corvallis Museum, participants added stamped text to the proclamation and created expressive word drawings as part of the museum’s exhibit CALYX, Inc.: A Herstory of Radical Resilience. The activity invited artists to reflect on the meaning of awareness, advocacy, and belonging through art and language.
Art has always been a powerful tool for telling stories and making voices visible. For many Living Studios artists, creating these pieces was a way to celebrate their identity, share their perspective, and participate in the broader conversation around disability awareness.
The celebration continues this week. On Friday, Living Studios will be taking over the front window at the Jackson Street Youth offices for Developmental Disability Awareness Month. The display will highlight the creativity and voices of artists with developmental disabilities while helping bring attention to the importance of inclusion in our communities.
Developmental Disability Awareness Month is about more than recognition. It is about building communities where people of all abilities are welcomed, valued, and empowered to share their gifts.
Through art, collaboration, and community partnerships, Living Studios is proud to help make those stories visible.
