Happy Birthday, ADA!
Posted by 7/21/10 in Advocacy & Public Policy
From the Easter Seals National website:
Happy birthday, ADA.
Known as the Emancipation Proclamation for people with disabilities, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This landmark law extends civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities in five key areas: employment; services provided by state and local governments; public accommodations; telecommunications; and transportation. Easter Seals played a major role in the development and enactment of the ADA and continues to advocate for policies that empower people with disabilities to demonstrate their abilities rather than be limited by their disabilities.
Twenty years ago, a deaf person couldn’t order a pizza over the phone. A person who used a wheelchair couldn’t ride a lift-equipped city bus. But, thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), times have changed for the better. But the promise of the ADA remains out of reach for the millions of adults with disabilities who are unemployed and want to work or who cannot live independently in their communities.
Take Action: Tell your federal and statelawmakers to enact policies so that all Americans with disabilities can live the promise of the ADA.
Contacts
Fred Waddle
fred.waddle@nc.eastersealsucp.com
