Houston County, GA. – Today is the 33rd Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, also known as the ADA.
I have released the following statement in regards to the celebration today.
Today, we celebrate the 33rd Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, also known as the ADA. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990.
While we now have products that are accessible to people with disabilities like myself, there is a long way to go before we have equal access to opportunities, such as access to public transportation, accessible sidewalks, being able to attend meetings from the comfort of your home in every city, and many more improvements that we can do to make our city, town, and our neighborhoods more inclusive.
We, however, are still discriminated today, such as people with service animals not being allowed to take an Uber or a Lyft. We are also faced with inaccessible websites, making filling out forms, conducting business online, and other activities difficult for some of us to do. We have also face discrimination regarding the right to vote as a disabled person.
We remember advocates that have left us recently, including Gaylon Tootle, who I’ve known personally. I have hope that there will be future advocates who will advocate for what’s right.
Like I said above, there is a long way to go. I hope that in many years, this country will become more understanding, and more compassionate towards people with different disabilities, including mental, physical, and intellectual.
You can watch the commemoration of the Americans With Disabilities Act.