35 Years After the ADA, the Fight for Disability Equality Is Far From Over
As the nation prepares to mark the 35th anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, CommPRO sought feedback on how successful the legislation has been in breaking down barriers and fostering a more equitable society.
“There is no question that the ADA has changed the lives of millions of disabled Americans in profound ways,” said Karen Tamley, president and CEO of Access Living, a Chicago-based social service organization that supports the disabled community.
Tamley, who previously served as commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, has a unique perspective. She attended the original ceremony where President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law on July 26, 1990. The disability rights attorney she worked for at the time also helped draft some of the bill’s language.
“It was such a milestone for our community,” said Tamley, who has a physical disability herself. “The legislation had strong bipartisan support from both a Republican president who was fully committed to the ADA in partnership with a Democratic Congress, including our own Sen. Dick Durbin, who as a House member back then was a co-sponsor.”
While she applauds the ADA for opening doors to people with disabilities by expanding access to public buildings, mass transportation and employment opportunities, Tamley acknowledges more still needs to be done. Among the top priorities: bridging the digital divide and making technology more accessible.
“Frankly, we didn’t have the kinds of technological devices during the era in which the ADA was created, so it wasn’t something that the legislation addressed,” she said.
Still, Tamley downplays the idea of creating a second ADA to address today’s digital gaps.
“In this current climate, in which so many marginalized groups are under attack, the time just isn’t right,” she said, adding that the disabled community is working tirelessly to preserve the hard-fought rights it currently has.
Sandy Murillo, 37, a journalist who has been blind since early childhood, grew up under the ADA’s influence.
“I think it’s important for us to recognize and celebrate how much this law has done for people with disabilities,” said Murillo, who serves as associate producer and anchor at Lighthouse Media, part of The Chicago Lighthouse, one of the nation’s most comprehensive social service organizations. “For me as a disabled person, every July is important because it gives me the opportunity to not only salute the ADA but also keep spreading the word to my audience on why it is so important to millions of Americans like us.”
Murillo credited the ADA’s mandates — including braille signage and audible announcements in public spaces — for giving her more independence.
“More than that, the ADA was the pillar that helped me participate in my community,” she said. “Thanks in great part to this legislation, I could go to school with sighted kids, be admitted to and study at the University of Illinois, get a job and overall just be active in my community. I’m well aware that all of these opportunities did not come easy to previous generations of disabled Americans.”
She added that the ADA has made it possible for people with disabilities to be more visible in society and live fuller lives.
“Things like taking the bus, going to the movies, voting, having a job or going to school are activities that may be taken for granted by nondisabled people, but for those of us with disabilities, the ADA literally allows us to do them more freely and independently,” she said. “It’s not perfect, but when you compare it with the lack of access that people with disabilities still have in other countries, the ADA has been a game changer.”
Murillo agrees with Tamley that the next frontiers of disability access are digital, with many websites, apps and platforms still lacking accessibility for those with vision or hearing impairments.
Still, she doesn’t believe a new ADA is the answer. Instead, she suggests that existing legislation can be amended or other laws leveraged to close those gaps.
What’s ultimately needed, she believes, is a change in attitudes toward the disabled.
“People need to understand that individuals like us are capable of doing just about anything if given the right opportunities and resources,” she said.
Until that happens, she added, even the strongest laws will fall short of delivering true equality.
“All of us — disabled and nondisabled alike — must work together to make sure that the original ADA serves its purpose, but also that we collectively change our minds and develop new attitudes about the disability community,” Murillo said. “Judge us by what we can do rather than what we can’t.”
