For those of us with disabilities, this is a week to celebrate. It’s the 23rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). During those years we’ve seen businesses and offices look at us as customers who are important enough to them to make access into their buildings a reality for people needing mobility devices. We’ve seen potential employers listen to our qualifications instead of dismissing us offhand because of what they assume we can’t do or because we don’t have a “look” that they’re comfortable with. Those of us with hearing loss can enjoy a concert or stage play, and we can participate in civic meetings, all because we can ask to borrow one of the available hearing devices, and those who are blind can expect to find braille signs and dots on walkways to warn us that we’re close to a curb cut. If we have a child with a learning disability or other special need, we can expect our education system not to just shuffle him off to an isolated program but help him become part of the school’s culture now so he can become a productive member of a society that values what he has to offer.
Yes, the ADA is truly something to celebrate!