YLF news, 01/2012

              Civil rights, human rights, disability
rights: same struggle: Join the Civil Rights
Movement for People with Developmental and Other Disabilities
Is self-advocacy really a civil rights movement? It sure is! Self
-advocacy is changing how society looks at disability. No
longer hidden away in institutions, individuals with disabilities
are now advocating for themselves, demanding freedom,
equality, and justice for all people. The United States has
come a long way advocating for policies that improve the
lives of people with disabilities.
In 1990 the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) was
passed. This law provides basic rights to people with disabili-ties:
equal access to public places, prohibits discrimination in employment, and equal access to
public transportation.
“Without the A.D.A., I would not have been able to join my High School swim or water polo team,
because of the able-body vs. adaptive sports segregation that used to be okay. I would not have
been able to ride the local bus to the mall or beach because they would not have to be equipped
with lifts for wheelchair users. I would not have been able to get into most public places because
the door of the business would not have had to be widened for my wheelchair. Most Importantly, I
would not have been able to write this article because we would not have such willing agencies
working with person that have disabilities. There are so many other great things that the A.D.A. has
done for persons with disabilities. It is important to remember the value of A.D.A. as we continue
our work in the disability movement.” - Christina Mills, Deputy Director California Foundation for In-dependent
Living Centers.
In 1990, reauthorization of the Education for All Handicapped Children was passed and renamed as
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.). The purpose of I.D.E.A. is that students
with a disability must be provided a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that prepares chil-dren
for further education, employment, and independent living.
In 2001, the New Freedom Initiative was passed to promote the full participa-tion
of people with disabilities in all areas of society by increasing access to
assistive technologies, expanding educational and employment opportunities,
and access to daily community life.
The passage of these acts and the advocates behind them show how the dis-ability
civil rights movement has improved life for others. Advocates across
the world are still joining together, to assure there is freedom and access or
all. Will YOU help continue the efforts for disability rights?
Jan
2012
We should all
stand proud of our
disabilities and
even prouder of
the history that got
us all here. - Mills
Learn more about the A.D.A. - Check out http://www.ada.gov/
President Bush is shown signing the A.D.A. with
Justin Dart, advocate.