Article Preview: “This summer, the United States is marking a momentous milestone: the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the ADA. The act, of which Tony was the primary author, was without a doubt the single most important piece of legislation for an entire generation of Americans with disabilities…But while the ADA released a torrent of powerful change in the physical world, the digital world has yet to catch up. In fact, 30 years after the passage of the ADA, we are more reliant than ever on digital access, and still woefully far from ensuring accessibility on every digital experience.” Continue reading this article by Tony Coehlo and Heath Thompson at Fast Company.
Article: “30 years after the ADA, disability justice activists are rethinking what true equity looks like”
Article Preview: “When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law 30 years ago, it was the culmination of decades of activism, sacrifice and struggle by people with disabilities to protect basic rights long denied. The New York Times called the law at the time ‘the most sweeping anti-discrimination measure since the Civil Rights Act of 1964.’ For the first time, discrimination against people with disabilities was prohibited by law. The ADA required reasonable accommodations in transportation, employment and public services. But as with many things related to civil rights, too often the reality has not lived up to the law’s promise.” Continue reading this article by Naomi Ishisaka at the Seattle Times.
Article: “5 Things Everyone Should Know About People With Disabilities”
Article Preview: “What do you really need to know about disability? If you’re not disabled yourself, and don’t have a child, spouse, brother or sister, or parent with disabilities, how knowledgeable and up to date on disability issues are you expected to be? When the Americans with Disabilities Act passed 30 years ago, expectations were lower than they are today, but not much. One of the undisputed strengths of the ADA is that it provided fairly detailed guidelines for how to accommodate a wide range of physical and mental disabilities.” Continue reading this article by Andrew Pulrang at Forbes.
Article: “Disability Pride: The High Expectations of a New Generation”
Article Preview: “Millions of young people grew up knowing the landmark Americans With Disabilities Act as a birthright. They now demand its guarantees — and even more.” Continue reading this article by Joseph Shapiro at the New York Times.
TBT: “In First, State Adopts Updated ‘Handicapped’ Symbol”
For Throwback Thursday, check out this article from Disability Scoop about the adoption of the in-motion disability accessibility icon by the state of New York in 2014. The icon was developed by the Accessible Icon Project.
Faculty Article: “Facial Paralysis Gave Me a ‘Mask-Like’ Face”
Dr. Kathleen Bogart, Associate Professor of Psychology at OSU, recently had an article featured in Psychology Today: “I was born with a rare disorder called Moebius syndrome, which means I have facial paralysis and a lack of lateral eye movement. Articles in medical journals coldly describe the faces of people with Moebius syndrome as “mask-like.” I always found this description confusing and even dehumanizing. My face is not mask-like; it’s just a face that doesn’t move much.” Click here to continue reading this article.
Video Story: “SC disability rights group shares concerns over reopening schools”
Article Preview: “
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – As schools make preparations for the fall, one organization is expressing concerns about the governor’s recommendation to reopen schools. Able SC is a non-profit organization led by people with disabilities that focuses on empowerment and offering services. Executive Director Kimberly Tissot says those with disabilities aren’t being fully included in the reopening discussions.” Watch the video and continue reading the article by Paola Tristan Arruda at Live 5 News.
Article: “My disability taught me that not all workers need to be the same”
Article Preview: “
I was born in Olympia in 1983, seven years before the passage of the Americans with Disability Act. July 26 marks the 30th anniversary of this hard-fought piece of civil rights legislation, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in schools, transportation, jobs and public spaces. As an infant and toddler, I received early intervention services and vision therapy. These services were the introduction to the message I would receive throughout my childhood — if I just worked hard enough, I could fix my vision (not true!), overcome my disability and be just like a normal kid. Consequently, I pretended I could see things I couldn’t. I tried not to tilt my head at “weird” angles, hold things too close, use large print or binoculars, or ever ask for help. I spent 33 years trying to fake being normal, and it was exhausting.” Continue reading this article by Anna Zivarts at the Seattle Times.
Article: “What Disability Pride Means to Me”
Article Preview: “This July marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans With Disabilities Act in 1990. For the first time, Americans with disabilities were going to have equal opportunity and access like those without — or that’s what was supposed to happen. There is still a lot of progress to be made 30 years later. All these years later, I’m finally hearing about Disability Pride Month. I’ve lived with cerebral palsy for 27 years, and not once have I been aware of it. I didn’t even know what disability pride even was. After looking around at other ways people identify themselves and celebrate pride, such as in the gay community, I’m learning what disability pride means to me. Disability pride means that disability isn’t a condition, it’s a way of life. Disability pride means not living in shame of who you are simply because you cannot walk without a limp or are unable to work.” Continue reading this article by Becca R. at MSN.com.
Article: “We Need To Stop Patrolling The Borders Of Disability”
Article Preview: “Deciding who is and isn’t disabled, who does and doesn’t deserve accommodation, is complicated. Most efforts to distinguish fakers from “real” disabled people usually do more harm than good. There is sometimes real reason for skepticism. One of the newest weapons in the ongoing politicization of Covid-19 is the trend of people seeking moral and legal cover for their refusal to wear a face mask, by claiming that they can’t wear them because of an underlying health condition or disability.” Continue reading this article by Andrew Pulrang on Forbes.