Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Pasadena, LA County Commissions to Host Virtual Forum on Disability Inclusion

City’s disability advisory body delivers on a formal FY 2025-2026 objective with a one-hour virtual session open to all residents

Most forms of bias have a name people recognize. Ableism — discrimination rooted in prejudicial assumptions about what people with disabilities can or cannot do — is less well understood.

A free webinar Wednesday morning aims to change that for Pasadena residents, educators, and employers.

The City of Pasadena’s Accessibility and Disability Commission, along with the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities and Pasadena Civitan, is hosting “Ending Ableism Together: Creating Spaces Where Everyone Belongs,” a one-hour virtual session featuring Peter Mendoza, a Grants Program Analyst for the Self-Determination and Supported Decision-Making Technical Assistance Program at the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, according to the city’s official event announcement.

The commission approved a formal work plan for fiscal year 2025-2026 that set community education on anti-ableism as a specific objective under its Community Engagement priorities and Wednesday’s event is that objective in practice.

The session runs from 10 to 11 a.m. and is free to attend. Registration is required through the city’s Zoom link at bit.ly/EndingAbleismWebinar.

Mendoza is described in the city’s announcement as “a long-time disability advocate, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to his work.” He has collaborated with state agencies and community organizations on accessible transportation, housing, employment, and in-home support services, according to a report published by Pasadena Now.

According to the official announcement, the session will address what ableism is and how it appears in everyday life, systems, and language, alongside practical tools for recognizing and challenging bias in workplaces, schools, and communities.

The Accessibility and Disability Commission advises the Pasadena City Council on accessibility issues and studies inequities in how residents, particularly those with disabilities, access the city’s physical, civic, and cultural environments. The commission adopted its FY 2025-2026 work plan in July 2025.

Pasadena Civitan, chartered in 1929, has a long history of working alongside the city’s accessibility bodies on disability inclusion in the Pasadena area. The Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities advises the county’s Board of Supervisors on the needs of people with disabilities, according to Pasadena Now.

American Sign Language interpretation will be provided. For accessibility accommodations, contact (626) 744-3629 or sgoldman@cityofpasadena.net; organizers request at least 72 hours’ advance notice.