July 26, 2020, marked the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Passed by Congress and signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, the ADA established protections for people with disabilities in employment, government, and publicly funded spaces.
On July 20, 2020, we held the #LurieADA30 Twitter Chat about the Americans with Disabilities Act and its impact on people with disabilities over the past thirty years, especially for people who experience ableism in tandem with other kinds of marginalization, like racism, misogyny, or classism. We've written a summary of the chat here.
Throughout the month of July, we shared resources and information about the ADA, its history, and steps that advocates can take to ensure the ADA fulfills its promise.
In addition, we have two brief one-pagers about the connections between the ADA and the work we produce at the National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities and the Community Living Policy Center.
ADA Events
July 16: Black Disabled Lives Matter Part 1: A National Outlook from Thought Leaders
Presented by the Starkloff Disability Institute · Featuring Dr. Donna Walton and Janet LaBreck
July 21: ADA: Celebrating 30 Years
Presented by the Independence Center · Featuring Heather Skold, Patricia Yeager, Judy Heumann, Toby Gannet, Andrew Winders, Serina Gilbert, Julie Reiskin, Paul O'Brien, Mayor John Suthers
July 22: ADA 30: A Call for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Presented by the Boston Center for Independent Living · Featuring Judy Heumann, Courtland Townes III, and Sandy Ho
July 24: Black Disabled Lives Matter (Part 2): An Intimate View from Self-Advocates in Our Community
Presented by the Starkloff Disability Institute · Featuring Starkloff Career Academy Graduates
July 24: ADA30 Disability Justice Summit
Presented by Rooted in Rights
July 27: Passing State Legislation to Protect the Rights of Parents with Disabilities
Presented by the National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities
July 29: ADA 30th Anniversary Event
Presented by the Disability Action Coalition