On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. The ADA was a huge victory for disabled people, finally affirming that they (we) have civil rights to employment, housing, transportation, accommodations, and more.
At the same time, 30 years later, it is clear that the ADA is not enough. We (disabled people) deserve to have full access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness just like everyone else. But our society is so ableist that it can be very hard for us to obtain those things.
Want to learn more? I definitely recommend Crip Camp, on Netflix, which shows how a group of disabled people who went to camp in the 1960s went on to fight for disabled rights.
Things to read:
- ADA 30 In Color: (Disability Visibility): “A series of original essays on the past, present, and future of disability rights and justice by disabled BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) writers.”
- Voices of Disability: (Refinery29): “No stigma. No stereotypes. No sugar coating. These are our real stories.”
- 30 years later, the fight continues (Time Magazine)
- Why I’m Not Celebrating the ADA Turning 30 (Adam F. Naughton)
- I’m not celebrating the ADA this year… (Twitter thread by Dominick Evans)