On July 26, 1990, President W.H. Bush signed the Americans with Disability Act, a civil rights law that prohibited the discrimination of individuals on the basis of their disability. This piece of legislation was instrumental in ensuring that individuals with disabilities had to the same rights as people without disabilities. This year, as we celebrate the 27th anniversary of the ADA, it is important to remember the strides we have made while also recognizing the journey we have ahead to improve the lives of people with disabilities and ensure that they have the same opportunities as individuals without disabilities.
With advocacy and using the power of our stories, we are able to make real strides and improvements in creating a better world for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities where they exercise independence and receive the supports they need to thrive. Just recently we’ve seen how advocacy can halt efforts to cuts Medicaid, ensure funding is adequate to meet the needs of people and retain Direct Support Professionals, and ensure that school systems are better equipped to meet the individualized evacuation needs of students with disabilities.
To honor the power of advocacy, the Maryland Department of Disabilities is hosting a traveling disAbility History Tour entitled Advocacy: A History of People Speaking Up For Themselves. The exhibit consists of five panels of information and pictures. The exhibit has been making its way around Maryland and covers advocacy efforts from the 19th century to current day. Four of the panels are on loan from the disAbilities Museum, and the fifth was designed by Maryland Association of Centers for Independent Living.
On August 4, the Maryland Department of Disabilities held a reception in celebration of the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act. Governor Hogan gave a wonderful speech about the importance of the ADA and presented an official proclamation, commemorating the anniversary to Secretary Carol Beatty and a Governor’s Citation to Katie Collins-Ihrke on behalf of The Maryland Association of Centers for Independent Living for their display panel. The reception presentation also featured speakers Karen Goss, Co-Director of the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center and Janice Jackson, Executive Director of W.E.A.N. (Women Embracing Abilities Now) Both speeches focused on advocacy and the ADA from the perspective of the organization and the individual journey.
If you missed the ADA celebration’s recent stop in Annapolis, don’t fret! The tour has two more stops in August before it’s done.
From August 15 – 19, you can visit the exhibit at the PD Brown Memorial Library in Waldorf.
From August 22 – 26, the exhibit will be at the Kent County Public Library in Chestertown.
If you don’t have the opportunity to see the display in person, you can find photos and audio recordings of the panels on the Maryland Department of Disabilities website.
