"Disability is a part of the rich tapestry of human diversity and something that nearly all of us will experience at some point in our lives," explains Jackie Dilworth, communications director at The Arc of the United States, a disability rights organization. "It's also a significant identity that defines how we experience the world. Yet people with disabilities have been marginalized and misunderstood for generations."
According to the CDC, 27 percent of the US population has some kind of disability — that's one in four people. And as Dilworth notes, most people will experience being disabled at some point in their lives, whether temporarily or permanently. In other words, disability pride and improving accessibility should matter to everyone.
Everyday.
We fight to be seen.
We fight to be heard.
We fight to be accepted.
Not ignored.
We fight.
We fight for better healthcare.
We fight for better educational opportunities
We fight for more employment opportunities.
Reasonable accommodations.
Attendant care.
We fight.
We fight for accessibility.
Accessible architecture.
No more being denied entrance.
Reliable transportation
We fight.
We fight discrimination.
We fight stereotypes.
We fight to prove we are worthy
We fight to prove we are good enough.
We fight to prove we are intelligent.
We fight.
We hold rallies.
We speak to our legislators
We beg them not to forget about us.
Open your hearts.
Open your minds.
Change the laws.
We fight.
Do not institutionalize us.
We live with the knowledge that we are one step away.
Do not shut us out.
The Ugly Laws are no more.
We fight.
We have God-given gifts
Let us show how we can contribute.
Make the world a better place.
We fight.
We fight.
And we will continue.
Until the world knows.
That we are equal.
That we belong.
The ADA was passed on July 26, 1990. We have come far. But not far enough.
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