Happy Birthday, ADA!

On this date in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. ADA did not come into being magically overnight. People fought for it for decades, as shown in the documentary, Crip Camp. I'm thankful for all of those who led and continue to lead the fight for this law that guarantees basic civil rights for people with disabilities.

Although much progress has been made, we still have so far to go. There are widespread problems with how the law is (or isn't) enforced and there are loopholes in the law itself. More than 3 decades later, we should be much farther along than we are.

My request to all of you, disabled or not, is that you think about what you can do to help. When you notice something isn't right, don't just write about it on social media. Ask yourself what you can do to bring about change. Also, if you are are a parent or teacher, teach your children about ADA . It's a critical part of American history and should be taught like any other part of American history. And if you aren't familiar with ADA, learn about it, then teach it.

Any one of you or your loved ones can become disabled at any time, but in an accessible world we can all thrive. When we make the world better for people with disabilities, we make it better for everyone. We all have the responsibility to stand up for what is right. We have seen this happen with other national movements. Let's all join the fight for people with disabilities as well.