Today is the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 1 in 4 American adults have some form of disability.
The ADA is not being enforced properly, which lets inaccessible establishments get away with no consequences. There needs to be federal oversight and federal penalties that ensure the ADA is followed.
The world is changing, so we must also adapt and amend the ADA to keep up. We must also remove the incredibly stringent guidelines on what qualifies as a disability or not. We should not be required to spend years ”proving” that we are ”disabled enough” to require accommodations.
We don’t have enough voice in government when it comes to decisions like this for us. So, able-bodied people need to stick up and advocate for us. I am calling on my able-bodied allies to help me get the accommodations that I and other disabled people need and hold private businesses and the government accountable for inaccessibility and lack of ADA enforcement.
Thank you.
Derek I. Schmitz 