Happy Birthday ADA Thirty Years Of Advocacy & Activism

 

 

 Birthday ADA Thirty Years Of Advocacy & Activism, Where Are We Now?

I have not written for this blog in nearly three years. But in three years, it's funny how things come full circle. As many of you know, I started this blog as a sounding board for the struggles I was encountering during grad school; however, I quickly realized this blog was turning into something more significant and more critical. It was turning into my commentary on disability issues and living with a disability in general. I have covered everything from how people with disabilities are viewed as infantile by individual members of the able body community to the funny side of being disabled. As the ADA turned 30 Sunday, I felt it was time to reflect on my life and the world as a whole.

In the 30 years since its passage, my life had changed a great deal when it was first signed. I was four years old, but now I am a college graduate with a dark sense of humor who advocates for people with disabilities. I have my days where I get discouraged like everyone else, but I'm a positive voice for change for the most part. I am blessed to have grown up in a post ADA world. The opportunities I have would not be possible without the ADA. I am currently serving as co-founder and a communications team member at access to the vote Florida. A voting coalition that seeks to strengthen the power of voters with disabilities. I'm also pursuing a freelance writing career. It was not too long ago that someone who is as severely limited as me would not be in his own house but an institution. I just yesterday complained about the poor hand. I was dealt with about my current location, but looking back on it, I see it as petty and childish. While my life is not going exactly as planned, I realize I am blessed to be where I am; it could be a lot worse. Even though they were divided right now, this country is still the best place to be disabled.

In closing, I know there is a lot of work yet to be done. We all have a role to play in furthering the voice and power of people with disabilities. Just because we have the ADA doesn't mean we should get complacent. A common slogan used throughout the movement is "nothing about us without us." At the same time, this is a powerful slogan. I think it's a reminder that we still have a lot to do to fulfill our founding fathers' promise when they said, "All men are created equal."


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