Blog Posts Archive
July 22, 2022:
In Their Own Words…
The Americans with Disabilities Act establishes “clear, strong, consistent, enforceable standards addressing discrimination against individuals with disabilities.” -Representative Major Owens
The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act was a bi-partisan team approach. Senator Lowell Weicker (R) of Connecticut and Senator Tom Harkin (D) of Iowa took the lead on the bill. The goal was clear. As groundbreaking as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was, there were gaps in the coverage it provided for people with disabilities and their families. The ADA closed those gaps.
Many thanks to these legislators and to all who supported this effort. They changed so many lives for the better. Hear their reasons in their own words:
Reference: https://acl.gov/ada/origins-of-the-ada#:~:text=In%20April%201988%2C%20in%20the,with%20Disabilities%20Act%20of%201988
July 20, 2022: Gang of 19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act covers public services, including transportation. Prior to the Gang of 19’s history-making protest, it was common for city buses to have only one way to get on a bus – climb two steps and make a sharp turn to find a seat. This made it impossible for people who used wheelchairs to ride a bus that their tax dollars helped fund.
4 individuals with disabilities protesting the lack of accessibility on the city buses.
On July 6, 1978, in Denver, Colorado, a group of people with disabilities known as the Gang of 19 stopped traffic by lying down in front of buses in the middle of the road. Together they chanted, “We will ride!”
This protest brought attention and led to necessary changes in making buses more accessible. Because of their “boldness and bravery,” the city of Denver went on to have the first public transit system in the country to provide wheelchair lifts to passengers.
This act of civil disobedience was part of the nationwide disability rights movement which led Congress to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.
The Gang of 19
“Shout out to the Gang of 19: Bob and Renate Conrad, Linda Chism-Andre, Willy Cornelison, Mary Ann Sisneros, Carolyn Finnell, George Roberts, Mel Conrardy, Bobby Simpson, Debbie Tracy, Jeannie Joyce, Kerry Schott, Jim Lundvall, Lori Heezan, Glenn Kopp, Larry Ruiz, Cindy Dunn, Paul Brady, and Terri Fowler.
Image: Glen Martin, The Denver Post. Courtesy Atlantis Community, Inc.”
Reference: Facebook History Colorado https://www.facebook.com/HistoryColorado/photos/a.115946521284/10158228303861285/?type=3
Rocky Mountain PBS https://www.rmpbs.org/blogs/rocky-mountain-pbs/more-work-to-be-done-42-years-after-gang-of-19-protest/
July 15, 2022: Meet Justin Dart, Jr.: “Father of the Americans with Disabilities Act”
Justin Dart, Jr. was known for his trademark Stetson hat, cowboy boots, and his passion to help others and leading his life on his terms. Born in Chicago in 1930; at age 18 Justin developed polio which resulted in his need to use a wheelchair for the remainder of his life. He left law school to go into business and met his future wife, Yoshiko. They shared a passion for disability and human rights activism. Together they gathered and shared the experiences of people with disabilities and the barriers encountered in exercising their basic human rights.
Over 30 years, Justin worked to develop support for national disability policy; challenging misperceptions and changing expectations regarding people with disabilities. In 1988, President Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In 1990, Justin joined President George H.W. Bush, when the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law.
The Signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Justin was known for his quotes which included “Lead On!”, “Get into politics as if your life depended on it. It does” and “I love you.”
We love you, Justin, and thank you!
Justin and Yoshika Dart viewing the Washington Memorial and reflecting pool from the Lincoln Memorial.
Check out more of Justin Dart’s story
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Dart_Jr.
https://abilitymagazine.com/JustinDart_remembered.html
https://www.polioplace.org/people/justin-dart-jr
Photo Credits:
First Photo: By John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA – Justin Dart, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75610963
Second Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bush_signs_in_ADA_of_1990.jpg
Third Photo: https://abilitymagazine.com/justin-dart-remembered-humanitarian-leader-and-friend/
July 12, 2022: July is Independence Month!
July is a celebration of our nation’s independence. For people with disabilities, July also holds a special meaning, as it is the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The Americans with Disabilities Act ensured people with disabilities have the same rights as other Americans. It is our Independence Day.
To honor the ADA, upcoming blogs will focus on the reasons this law was enacted; and to meet the individuals responsible for its’ passage.
DNCAP is happy that we now have generations of individuals with disabilities who made their own decisions on housing or what jobs they will take.
DNCAP would like to invite you to our celebration of the ADA on July 28th from 11 am – 2 pm in our parking lot. We will have tents, free food, agencies to talk about their services, music and, of course, a little dancing!
Do you know who is the “father of the ADA”? Stay tuned for our next article.
June 24, 2022: Inclusion
June is Pride Month and we thought to recognize the struggles of all of our fellow siblings with disabilities, our focus this month is the issue of inclusion. Inclusion is a universal human right for all people. DNCAP supports individuals with disabilities and their families who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Our office affirms an atmosphere of acceptance, dignity, and respect.
Serving people with equal opportunity is a primary goal of DNCAP. How can we serve one marginalized group while excluding another? We take a great deal of pride in serving all persons with disabilities.
DNCAP services come without discrimination to people of all kinds. We strive to serve all persons with a disability. We will not make you prove your disability. If you have a disability, we are here to help you.
We like to use the phrase, “Nothing about us, without us.” This motto speaks to our mission and values. Everyone should be included in the decisions that affect them. It is a value that we hang our hats on.
No one will ever be turned away for who they are, their identity, or their beliefs. We are all seen as equals in the right to assistance. We aim to provide our services fully in the spirit of equality.
We must all continue to support each other. We are all fighting for a common goal. We must stick together. We must not fight each other based on other aspects of each other’s identities. Instead, we should help each other through thick and thin.
DNCAP always has, and always will, provide its services without discrimination of any kind. We strive for excellence in all that we do, and we cannot do that if we do not provide equal treatment to all who come through our doors.
