Happy 25th Anniversary, ADA!

One of my favorite shirts

Today is the 25^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Including both physical and mental handicaps, the ADA covers five areas: employment, public entities and public transportation, public accommodations and commercial facilities, telecommunications, and miscellaneous provisions. Amendments were made to this document in 2008. The ADA paved the way for the improvement of accessibility in other countries. To read its text and see other resources about this law, go to www.ada.gov.

I was four years old when President George H. W. Bush signed the ADA into law. I’m thankful for having grown up during a period of increasing understanding and acceptance of individuals with disabilities in the United States. Although there are still physical and attitudinal barriers at times, the ADA has given people like me more opportunities to live an active life. I described these opportunities in my autobiography UnabASHed by Disability (available at http://tinyurl.com/oolmj39).

On a side note, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games kicked off yesterday with an opening ceremony in Los Angeles. At the ceremony, the Special Olympics torch, which changed hands many times during the Unified Relay Across America, was presented. About 6,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities from 165 countries will compete in 25 sports events over nine days. For more information about Special Olympics, go to www.specialolympics.org.