Written by: Merlisha Henderson
Very soon we will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). The first thought that comes to my mind when I think of the ADA is that it has provided access to spaces and opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Americans with vastly different disabilities to participate in the pursuit of the American dream. This essential piece of legislation has given rise to public awareness of the sometimes-daunting lack of rights for those with disabilities. It has also addressed the unfair practices of many companies’ denial of employment opportunities for we Americans with disabilities. There are also many other aspects such as improved accessibility to public spaces and transportation. It has provided protections for specific groups with intellectual, hearing, vision and of course mobility issues.
The ADA from my personal perspective, has touched my life in so many ways. After I became disabled, I was not sure of my professional future. Because of the ADA, the company that I work for ensured that upon my return to the office, I was provided with everything I needed to be independent and successful, returning to my previous high level of output. The building was upgraded with automatic doors and accessible and functional restrooms. My local disabled community was easy to discover and engage with due to efforts of the ADA to promote inclusion of people like me with disabilities in all aspects of public life. Once I learned what my rights as a disabled person were, I slowly gained confidence when dealing with the general public. My rights, per the ADA, have engendered in me the expectation of more than satisfactory treatment in professional and social settings from everyone I encounter. Although a lot of progress has been made over the last thirty-five years, our society has yet a very long way to go before the ADA is so commonplace and well known, that people with disabilities of all types will be treated equally in all the ways that matter.