Dwarfism Awareness Month (DAM)

2023 LPA Dwarfism Awareness Month Press Release

Mission of LPA

"LPA is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with dwarfism throughout their lives while celebrating with great pride Little People’s contribution to social diversity.  LPA strives to bring solutions and global awareness to the prominent issues affecting individuals of short stature and their families."

Hundreds of health-related observances have been declared and are celebrated each year, like Autism Awareness Month (April), Breast Cancer Awareness (October), and the Red Ribbon Campaign (October) along with many lesser known medical conditions.    It is time for LPA to celebrate our community as well!

2023 Dwarfism Awareness/Pride Month Activities

Throughout the month of October, LPA has a number of activities occurring.  Be sure to follow us on Facebook or Instagram for our daily posts.  This year, we are also hosting "Takeover Tuesdays" - follow along as a different social media influencer takes over our accounts for the day. 

We will also host a series of virtual discussions on a number of topics. We hope you can join us, but if you miss one of them, check back here for a post to the recordings and/or materials shared.  

October 3 - 8:00pm EDT/5:00pm PDT - Allyship Series - Introduction to NAAFA - (Recording & Presentation Materials)
We understand the importance of allyship within our community, and we are committed to extending our support to other marginalized groups. As members of LPA, we are always seeking opportunities to learn, grow, and stand in solidarity with others. Join NAAFA’s Executive Director, Tigress Osborn, on this exclusive webinar for LPA members and learn about their mission, values, and goals and how you can reframe what it means to be body positive.  This recording requires a login to access - please contact inf[email protected] if you need assistance accessing the recording).

October 11 - 8:00pm EDT/5:00pm PDT - College Mentorship (Recording)
This past year, our Advocacy Committee conducted the first College Mentorship program, and it was a huge success.  College is a time when students have the opportunity to explore their interests, gain knowledge, and develop important skills that will shape their future careers. We have had many LPs successfully navigate the college experience and want to share their journey with others.  The Advocacy Committee is hosting a college mentorship information session for those who are interested in joining the program, either as a mentor or mentee. The official program will launch in November and run until July. If you are a college student looking to be mentored or someone interested in serving as a mentor to a college student, please complete the appropriate form (Mentor or Mentee), and join us for this webinar to learn more.  

October 12 - 8:00pm EDT/5:00pm PDT - MAB Q & A Virtual Discussion - 
Join Dr. Julie Hoover – Fong, chair of our Medical Advisory Board (MAB) and other members from the board as they host a virtual question-and-answer session. If you missed the chance to be with us in Austin, here’s your chance to have all your medical questions pertaining to skeletal dysplasia, answered.  This session requires registration to receive connection information.

October 14 - 2:00pm EDT/11:00am PDT - Hispanic Affairs Committee Virtual Symposium - 
We are delighted to present our First Virtual Symposium "Revolutionizing Stereotypes and Raising Voices": a unique opportunity to unite in the defense of the rights of people with short stature in the United States and Latin America. This symposium will be an unprecedented opportunity to learn, connect and strengthen our voices in the fight for inclusion and respect for people with short stature! To ensure that everyone can fully participate and understand, we will have simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and English. This session requires registration to receive connection information.

October 24 - 8:00pm EDT/5:00pm PDT - Feeling Empowered Through Employment - (Recording)
This is the second installment of Employment Empowerment series, the first taking place at our conference in Austin.  This virtual discussion will educate and inspire all LP professionals to actively practice self-awareness and acceptance in the workplace. Through self-advocacy, LPs can encourage hiring managers to make equitable people decisions.  Our panelists will share their stories and answer questions.  This session requires registration to receive connection information. 

October 29 - 8:00pm EDT/5:00pm PDT - Advocacy 101 Course - Second Session 
Advocacy can seem like a daunting task, but we're here to help! If you're unsure of where to start or how to advocate effectively against something, join us for our Advocacy 101 course.  Join Christina Mills and Samantha Rayburn-Trubyk for this comprehensive course that will guide you into becoming a true advocate. The course will be taught virtually over the next few months. If you missed our first session in Austin, don't worry, we will fill you in.

October 30 - 8:00pm EDT/5:00pm PDT - Understanding the Laws (Recording)
Our panelist(s) will share their knowledge on current laws that can assist LPs. If you have a question you would like to send to our panelists ahead of time, please enter it HERE. This will give our panelists extra time to ensure they are able to accurately answer your question. 

Be on the lookout - additional events will be listed as dates are confirmed, or follow along on Facebook. For connection information, email [email protected]. 

How you can help

We are asking each chapter to do these tasks, and your chapter will need your help to make them successful:

1) Hold an event of some kind.  Celebration of Dwarfism Awareness Month can be tied into an already planned event or Regional.     Some examples are; a bake sale, a pizza night at a local restaurant, a mini-golf championship, a 2K or 5K walk, or a simple park get-together.

2) Attempt to have an article or television piece published.  The article could be about the fundraiser that the chapter is holding, a piece on the oldest member, a piece about the dwarfism movement, or about the local high school student who plays on the football team or is the local Xbox champion.  

3) Contact local state legislature and get October declared National Dwarfism Awareness Month in your state. The ultimate goal is to have the US Government declare October NDAM but first it needs to be declared at the state level.

Each area of the country has a Regional Coordinator who will help oversee Dwarfism Awareness Month Events and information.   Please contact your local District Director or Chapter President if you have any questions.

Dwarfism Awareness Month (DAM) Resources