This year is the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA will turn twenty-five on July 26, 2015. The ADA is an important milestone in the history of the disability rights movement in the United States.
The vision and leadership for bringing about the ADA came straight from the heart of Texas. Proud Texan and former Chair of the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, Justin Dart’s passion is the heart and soul of the ADA.
Lex Frieden, a disability policy expert from Houston, defined the vision for Congressional action, which paved the way for the passage of the ADA. Thousands of Texans— from members of Congress to people living in state institutions—worked tirelessly to make the dream a reality.
And another Texan, President George H. W. Bush, signed the ADA into law .The ADA is a key piece of civil rights legislation that applies to all sectors of life. It guarantees equal access for millions of individuals to goods, services, and opportunities. It has opened doors and changed lives in the first 25 years of its existence.
The ADA became law in 1990. It prohibits discrimination against individual with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, housing, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
Throughout the year and on the ADA’s Anniversary – July 26th, celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act in your community. While much progress has been made, much remains to be done.
Resources:
No-cost Outreach and Education Programs: TWCCRD representatives are available on a limited basis at no cost to make presentations and participate in meetings with stakeholders, and their representative groups, as well as community organizations and other members of the general public.
TWCCRD Education Training & Technical Assistance:
TWCCRD provides low cost, fee-based trainings and technical assistance programs via webinars and in-person sessions throughout the State of Texas.
For more information, availability and training designed specifically for your needs, contact TWCCRD at (888) 452-4778, (512) 463- 2642 or
CRDTraining@twc.state.tx.us.