In celebration of the 31st anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this presentation explores key moments and personalities of the disability rights movement over the past one hundred years.
Participants will learn about our heroes who, through their courage and conviction, fought for equality and laid the foundation of the four "pillars" of the ADA:
The author and historian David McCullough once wrote, "How can we know who we are and where we are going if we don't know anything about where we have come from and what we have been through, the courage shown, the costs paid, to be where we are?" In celebration of the thirty-first anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this presentation traces where we have come from in the struggle for equality and full participation.
As a new generation of professionals have entered the field, many do not know the histories of the heroes that came before us. They likely are unaware of the contributions of Brad Lomax, Justin Dart or Ed Roberts, the stories of Carrie Buck and Fannie Lou Hamer or the revolutionary beliefs of Marc Gold and Burton Blatt. Many younger professionals have never heard of the occupation of the San Francisco Federal Building and the privations endured by the occupiers by both circumstance and by commission of the federal government.
For our seasoned professionals, this presentation will remind us that the disability rights movement has been one of constant struggle for basic human dignity. The Americans with Disabilities Act, enacted in 1990, was the emancipation proclamation for people with disabilities. But the ADA can only ensure facility access, effective communication and legal protections. It is only by our continued struggle and commitment that we can ensure the achievement of full equality.
This session will be available via ZOOM. Additionally, this session will be recorded & available at a future date on the Networks' website.
To receive credit for attendance & a certificate of attendance for this session, you must name / identify yourself in ZOOM. Those who do not will not receive attendance credit nor a session certificate.