Celebrating 35 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Thirty-five years ago, on July 26th, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. As he was lifting his pen, he declared: “Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.”

According to the ADA National Network, the ADA is “a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.”

​ Here we are, over three decades later. Has the wall of exclusion finally come down?

What we see now in the United States is that more students with disabilities graduate from high school. There are more opportunities for people with disabilities offered at colleges and universities. There are now curb cuts and other improvements to facilitate mobility. Those using wheelchairs can find seating at theaters and sporting events. Traffic lights now “talk” to us to let us know when it is safe to cross the street. Movie theaters and television now offer captioning. Websites have screen reading capabilities and audio books are widely available.

There has been advances in communication technology that continues to improve access to knowledge and information. Reforms in health care has improved access to long-term services and supports that help people with disabilities lead healthy lives. Changes in the tax code has also occurred allowing individuals with disabilities and their families more independence and greater financial security.

While all this positive change has happened since the ADA was signed, with any toppling of a wall, there will be debris, and it is this debris that still causes barriers to those with disabilities.

Americans with disabilities continue to face unemployment and poverty rates at roughly twice the national average and discrimination in many areas including employment, transportation, and education. People with disabilities comprise roughly 12 percent of the working-age population while at the same time accounting for more than half of those living in long-term poverty. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is more than double the national average for those without disabilities. The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities is 23 percent. For people without disabilities, it is 66 percent.

Nearly everyone experiences hardships and barriers in one form or another during their lifetime. For people with disabilities, barriers can be more frequent and have greater impact. The World Health Organization(WHO) describes barriers as being more than just physical obstacles. Here is the WHO definition of barriers: “Factors in a person’s environment that, through their absence or presence, limit functioning and create disability. These include aspects such as:

· A physical environment that is not accessible.

· Lack of relevant assistive technology (assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices).

· Negative attitudes of people towards disability.

· Services, systems, and policies that are either nonexistent or that hinder the involvement of all people with a health condition in all areas of life.”

Signing the ADA into law was only the beginning. There is still work to be done if we are truly going to remove not only the wall of exclusion, but the left-over debris as well.

On July 26th, the Bridging Community Celebration will be held in Riverfront Park in Spokane from 11AM-3PM around the fountain and down the orange bridge. This celebration not only commemorates the 35thAnniversary of the ADA, but it also celebrates the bridging of communities across cultures. Disability does not discriminate. We need to support each other to truly remove barriers to those with disabilities.