Happy 26th Anniversary Americans with Disabilities Act F U H I S T O R Y U R E Generation ADA: At the intersection of ADA History and Future

Americans with Disabilities Act https://youtu.be/fZzmcBVOkx8 And now I sign legislation which takes a sledgehammer to another wall. One which has for too many generations separated Americans with Disabilities from the freedom they could glimpse but not grasp. And once again we rejoice as this barrier falls; for claiming together we will not accept - we will not excuse - we will not tolerate discrimination in America.

Americans with Disabilities Act The history of the ADA did not begin on July 26, 1990 at the signing ceremony at the White House. It did not begin in 1988 when the first ADA was introduced in Congress. The ADA story began a long time ago in cities and towns throughout the United States when people with disabilities began to challenge societal barriers that excluded them from their communities, and when parents of children with disabilities began to fight against the exclusion and segregation of their children. It began with the establishment of local groups to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. It began with the establishment of the independent living movement which challenged the notion that people with disabilities needed to be institutionalized, and which fought for and provided services for people with disabilities to live in the community. The ADA owes its birthright not to any one person, or any few, but to the many thousands of people who make up the disability rights movement – people who have worked for years organizing and attending protests, licking envelopes, sending out alerts, drafting legislation, speaking, testifying, negotiating, lobbying, filing lawsuits, being arrested – doing whatever they could for a cause they believed in. There are far too many people whose commitment and hard work contributed to the passage of this historic piece of disability civil rights legislation to be able to give appropriate credit by name. Without the work of so many – without the disability rights movement – there would be no ADA. Arlene Mayerson, 1992 www.dredf.org

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. 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. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. The ADA is divided into five titles (or sections) that relate to different areas of public life. Title I: Employment Title II: State and Local Government Title III: Public Accommodations Title IV: Telecommunications Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions In 2008, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) was signed into law and became effective on January 1, 2009. The ADAAA made a number of significant changes to the definition of “disability.” The changes in the definition of disability in the ADAAA apply to all titles of the ADA, including Title I (employment practices of private employers with 15 or more employees, state and local governments, employment agencies, labor unions, agents of the employer and joint management labor committees); Title II (programs and activities of state and local government entities); and Title III (private entities that are considered places of public accommodation). ADA National Network, www.adata.org

Generation ADA Once upon a time, on March 12, 1996 to be precise, a beautiful baby girl named Anya was born. Anya was a fortunate girl, because she was born after the enactment of the ADA. Anya did not have an apparent disability growing up, and she laughed and played in the sunshine, danced at pow wows, and was a good student in school.

A few years later, on October 5, 1997, in a land not so far away, a beautiful baby girl named Audra was born. Like Anya, Audra had no apparent disability when she was very young, and spent her toddler years surrounded by her loving family.

Over time, Anya laughed and played less, experienced insecurities that caused her to stop dancing, and her grades began to slip. Anya felt sadness, aloneness, and didn’t understand why others were not hearing the voices she heard. Anya was diagnosed with a mental health disability, and unfortunately experienced all the trauma and stigma, that so many of our brothers and sisters who have disabilities do.

Over time, Audra began experiencing hearing loss in both ears Over time, Audra began experiencing hearing loss in both ears. Eventually, Audra would have no hearing without amplification. When she was 9 years old, Audra received Cochlear Implants. With her Cochlear Implants, Audra is able to hear about 30% of sounds in her immediate environment.

At Arizona Youth Leadership Forum in 2014, Anya and Audra learned about Disability History and Culture, which included an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Both became excited about this new found information and empowered by the tools they were receiving to help them learn to advocate for themselves and others.

In 2015, Anya faced disability discrimination at her job In 2015, Anya faced disability discrimination at her job. Knowing that she was protected under the ADA, Anya sought and received reasonable accommodations at work. Anya is grateful for the ADA, and realizes that it is likely that she will need reasonable accommodations to be successful in her future.

Since receiving her Cochlear Implant, Audra utilizes closed captioning with all of her technology which allows her to understand what is being said on television, on websites, and at public events where she can request captioning or other accommodation. Audra is grateful for the ADA, and realizes that she will certainly use accommodations throughout her lifetime.

Anya and Audra are Generation ADA, and they believe that it is their responsibility to teach others about Disability History and Culture, including the ADA, to ensure that we continue to achieve greater inclusion and equality for all Americans. Anya and Audra live protected forever, under the ADA.

…and by forever, we clearly mean for as long as we continue to fight for our civil rights under the ADA…

The history of the ADA did not end on July 26, 1990 at the signing ceremony at the White House. It did not end with the 10th or 25th Anniversary Celebrations. The ADA story continues and grows stronger with each person who recognizes and acknowledges the protections we all receive under the ADA. The ADA becomes American culture each time a person has equal access to a building or a document without a request or complaint. Make no mistake, we must not become complacent and take for granted the long fought for rights that many, like us, have never lived without. We must remember and pay our respects to people who have disabilities who challenged societal barriers that excluded them from their communities, and parents of children who have disabilities who continue to fight against the exclusion and segregation of their children. We must be grateful for grass root efforts and well oiled machines who for decades have advocated for the rights of people who have disabilities in America, and throughout the world. Efforts to continue to improve, enhance, and enforce the ADA will not happen without many thousands of people who continue to engage in the disability rights movement – people who will build on historical efforts to achieve equal access for all Americans – those who have the information and knowledge to carry out the business of organizing and attending protests, licking envelopes, sending out alerts, drafting legislation, speaking, testifying, negotiating, lobbying, filing lawsuits, being arrested – doing whatever they can for a cause they believe in. Many of you have contributed to these efforts, and we thank you. Teach us what we need to know, what you remember, what we must not forget. Guide us, mentor us, make room for us to pave the way to greater access, freedom, and equality. Without the work of so many – without the disability rights movement – there would be no ADA. Here, at this, the intersection of the history and future of the ADA, we merge together.

and we approve this message. I am Anya Carrillo, Generation ADA, I am Audra Paletta, Generation ADA, and we approve this message.