Americans with Disabilities Act Celebrates 30 Years!

Disability Law Colorado's ADA30 Campaign:

July 26, 2020 marks 30 years since the signing of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) which became a law to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

For years people with disabilities and their allies fought to have basic rights, and this law makes sure people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. People who don't have a disability can take for granted how easy it is to access some of the most basic areas around the community. But those with disabilities know how a trip to the grocery store or even movie theater comes with its own unique challenges. 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and each one of us is unique. As we celebrate this milestone, lets take time to reflect on what the ADA means to us, “Thanks to the ADA,” and come together to continue our advocacy and conversations on civil rights and equality.

How You can Help Equip and Empower Us to Fight for Disability Rights and for the ADA

We ask for your support by making a contribution to our ADA work by CLICKING HERE on our #ADA30 Donation Page. Your contribution and advocacy will help equip and empower us to fight for disability rights.

NOTE: Thanks to a generous contubution from one of Disability Law Colorado's Major Donors; and the generousity of our Board of Directors -- from Sunday, July 26 to Friday, July 31 -- your $30 donation will be matched dollar for dollar (your $30 donation becomes $60); and larger donations will be matched for the first $30 (example: your $100 donation becomes $130). Your donation is a great way to celebrate the ADA and continue important conversations on civil rights and equality in Colorado.

Since 1977 Disability Law Colorado has been the Centennial state's Protection & Advocacy System, a disability rights champion and a leader in driving change, protecting rights and improving the lives of Coloradans with disabilities and older people. Join us as we celebrate 30 years of the ADA. The work that lies ahead to uphold the the law and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act will undoubtably be fierce. Disability Law Colorado remains steadfast in our commitment to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in Colorado.

ADA 30 for 30 Storytelling Project

Disability Law Colorado's ADA 30 for 30 storytelling project highlights 30 Americans with Disabilities Act milestones and individuls (people or groups) that have helped move disability rights and advocacy forward. We celebrate the hard-fought battles and passionate advocates who have blazed the trail of disability rights thoughout the United States, and in particular in Colorado, over the past 30 years. CLICK HERE for our 30 for 30 Storytelling Project: 30 ADA Milestones and Individuals Helping to Move Disability Rights Forward.

Check out this amazing 30 Story Ideas from the National Center on Disability and Journalism. #NCDJ30for30: Thirty Story Ideas for Journalists Covering Disability

Check out #ADA30inColor -- a series of original essays on the past, present, and future of disability rights and justice by disabled BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) writers. Published and edited by Alice Wong, Disability Visibility Project. Project Coordinator, Andraéa LaVant. Plain language summaries, Finn Gardiner. Audio narration, Alejandra Ospina.

Help Tell the ADA Story in Colorado! Get Involved on Social Media:

Get Social! Utilize your social media platforms to talk about disability inclusion. Post articles, events and inclusion tips. Use the #ADA30 and #DisabilityInclusion or #InclusionMeansEveryone hashtags. Tag Disability Law Colorado in your social media post and use the hashtags: #ThanksToTheADA, #IamTheADA and #ColoradoADA30:

Facebook: @DisabilityLawCO | Twitter: @DisabilityLawCO | Instagram: @DisabilityLawCO

Share a moment in your life when you were thankful for the ADA or what the ADA means to you, and/or how we as a community can continue the conversations on equality and civil rights.

Thanks to the ADA

Over the last 30 years, the ADA has encouraged businesses to provide ramps for wheelchairs, accommodations, tools for employees, ride-sharing services, wider doorways and much more. A more detailed look can be found here at Rewire News.

The ADA is an essential part of our world. It gives civil rights protections to people with disabilities that are like those given to people based on race, sex, national origin, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity in employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. Also, People with disabilities now live in their homes instead of institutions, as established in the Supreme Court decision to enact the Olmstead Act.

Get to Know the History of the ADA

1988: The ADA was first introduced to Congress

May 4, 1977: Section 504 regulations were issued, which formed the basis of the ADA. Section 504 regulations were established, recognizing the economic status of people with disabilities was not due to the disability itself, but was instead due to prejudices and barriers.

July 26, 1990: The ADA was enacted in to law with a signing ceremony at the White House.

June 22,1999: The Olmstead Act, or Olmstead v. LC Supreme Court decision was based on the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Supreme Court held that people with disabilities have a qualified right to receive state funded supports and services in the community rather than institutions. For more information, visit https://www.olmsteadrights.org/.

For more history, visit this Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund: https://dredf.org/about-us/publications/the-history-of-the-ada/ or ADA Network at: https://adata.org/learn-about-ada

News Articles & Stories | ADA30

As we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we wanted to share some recent articles and reports that help to tell the story of disability rights advocacy:

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