Celebrating 30 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

July 26, 2020 marked 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA was signed into order. The law is designed to give people with disabilities the same rights and opportunities as the next person.

It was signed when I was five years old. Over the years, I’ve witnessed how the ADA has benefited me and others within the disability community, but I’ve also seen ways in which there could be improvement.

My first job out of college was for the City of Raleigh’s Parks and Recreation Program. I was a coordinator for the visually impaired program. I helped to design recreation and leisure activities for a roster of almost 400 visually impaired participants.

We offered weekly programs like beep baseball for our younger crowd, bowling for our senior citizens, and game and movie nights. We even planned fun outings like going to concerts. Some of our programs were annual occasions like our trip to Beach Mountain for the adapted ski clinic. We made sure to have a diverse offering of programs so that each participant could find something they would enjoy.

Our office was ADA friendly. Jaws for Windows was installed on the computer. Jaws is a screen reader that reads aloud the contents of the computer screen. This gave me access to everything from our program email account, to our roster of participants, to our registration software used to sign up participants for programs.

We would even send out a bimonthly newsletter that went out via email as well as by mail in both braille and large print format. Our newsletters usually contained a good bit of information so it would take our braille printer a while to push out the copies.

I remember plenty of days working late to ensure the newsletter was printed, stapled, and put in envelopes to be sent in the mail. Some of those days I wish I was at home or hanging with friends. But you know what? I was just glad I had a job, and I was even happier it was one that made every effort to supply me with the accommodations to do the job. That’s the benefit of the ADA.

There are a lot of workplaces out there that aren’t so accommodating. I was on a panel recently where we were discussing conscious and unconscious bias. My mouth dropped as I listened to one of the speakers talk about a young lady who was interviewing for a job. She just so happened to be blind.

At some point, an HR professional wanted to chat with her separately. The HR person started asking questions like, They make computers for blind people? and, Are you going to be able to do this job?

I couldn’t believe someone would ask those things, especially in a professional setting. She didn’t end up getting the position. That employer just couldn’t see past the fact she was blind, and that’s so unfortunate. It’s hard to believe, but the ADA doesn’t provide protection in those types of situations.

Where could we improve?

The ADA is a great thing. It has really benefited me and others with disabilities. But the change that really needs to happen is a shift of mindsets and a change of hearts. The reality is that when someone discovers we have a disability, they immediately think of what we’re unable to do. You’re blind? You must need someone to help you use a computer or your phone, right? You sure you don’t need me to help you put your seatbelt on? Or one of my favorites…Hey your shoelaces are undone. Let me tie them for you.

I’ve been called a burden. Someone I had a professional relationship with has even said to me “You mean you don’t need a handler?” No, I don’t need a handler. All I really need, and want, is for everyone to understand that having a disability doesn’t mean we’re less than, incapable of, or unable to. The ADA is a great thing, but I need minds to change.

How do we encourage change?

I’d love for employees of organizations to be educated on the ADA, the varying types of disabilities out there, and how they can be more accommodating for customers who have a disability and for their potential employees who may have a disability.

Did you know that Apple’s products are accessible right out of the box? Voice over is a screen reader that is built into every Apple device If you need it you simply go to the accessibility settings and turn it on. There’s also a built-in magnifier to increase the screen’s font size. That’s only one example but there are many resources and tools available. All it takes is an employer, a family member, or a friend, taking a little bit of time to learn what options are available.

I’d love for employees to learn about the biases that exist surrounding people with a disability. Let’s work to get rid of these inaccurate thoughts. When we specifically talk about inclusion within the workplace, a lot of times the accommodations that need to be made are amazingly simple. It’s just a matter of being truly serious about including all members of the team.

You wouldn’t place a seed in an empty pot and ask it to grow, would you? Of course not. It needs soil, some sunlight, and water. That’s what sparks the growth process. The seed is totally capable. If you refuse to supply it with the necessary elements, it cannot do its job. When you choose to remain uneducated, when you refuse access for people with a disability, you’re cutting off our ability to grow. You’re keeping us from our full potential. We’re seeds. We have an abundance of fruit and productivity within us, but it cannot come into fruition without the proper environment and treatment.

We celebrate 30 years of the ADA and appreciate the civil rights it’s granted us. But, for us to continue evolving, for us to make greater strides forward, we need people’s thinking to change.

This earth was made for all of us to flourish, but certain perceptions and actions keep seeds from growing and reaching their full potential. You’re probably growing, and growing daily, I hope. I want to grow also. Make the mental shift, and let’s grow together.