Welcome to the August 2026 Kamloops Self Advocate Newsletter
Building a More Inclusive Community Together
Welcome to the August 2026 edition of the Kamloops Self Advocate Newsletter!
This month, we invite you to celebrate kindness, inclusion, accessibility, and the many abilities that make every person unique. Every article
in this issue reminds us that when barriers are removed and people are treated with dignity and respect, everyone has the opportunity to belong and succeed.
As we enjoy the final weeks of summer, we celebrate some of Kamloops’ favourite community events, including Kamloops Ribfest 2026 and the exciting Kamloops Dragon Boat Festival. These events bring people together through food, music, culture, teamwork, and fun while showing the importance of building welcoming communities where everyone can participate.
This issue also explores important conversations about disability and inclusion.
Readers will learn about the medical and social models of disability, ableism, respectful language, and why the newsletter uses both the terms disability and diverse abilities to help educate the public while respecting different
perspectives.
We also examine why the R-word has no place in today’s society and how our words can either build people up or create barriers
