Strobel

When I was young, my grandparents would tell me of how hard their lives were: "I had to walk four miles to school in the snow, uphill, both ways," they'd say. I always thought, I'm so glad I didn't grow up then.

I was 19 when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed. This means that when I was growing up, there were no curb cuts, accessible parking spots or access ramps. People with disabilities were forced to stay at home; they were denied access to their communities, schools and jobs. If you couldn't do everything just like everyone else did, then you just didn't get to do it.

On the 20th anniversary of the ADA, it is important to reflect on this important civil rights legislation. The ADA has provided opportunity for people with disabilities to participate in community life, to do their own grocery shopping and to go to local restaurants and libraries. People with disabilities can now express their dissatisfaction with their local government, and they can vote.

Before the law was passed, it was not that people with disabilities couldn't be heard, it was that they couldn't get into government buildings to do so. If you had trouble learning to read, it wasn't because you needed additional support, it was because you weren't smart enough. Today, we know that this is not true. It is striking how much the world of my youth scares me. I am glad that today's children live in a world where being different and doing things differently is normal.

Is the world after the ADA a perfect place? Have we done all of the work that we needed to do? Certainly not. There are still places that are inaccessible to people with disabilities because of one stair, an inaccessible bathroom or someone's ignorance. Many people with disabilities still struggle to find work. A new law was recently passed, the ADA Amendments Act, which provides even more hope for equality for all people. It is my sincere hope that this law will allow people with disabilities to achieve equality in the world of work as well.

Before the ADA Amendments Act was passed, the courts had narrowed the definition of the ADA so that it was very difficult to prove that a disability was significant enough to qualify for coverage under the ADA. With this act, Congress instructed the courts to consider not the severity of the disability but whether or not a discriminatory act took place. In doing so, the ADA Amendments Act restores the original intent of the ADA.

On the 20th anniversary of the ADA, take a look around your community. What changes can you make to improve the integration of all members of your community? Who can you talk to about treating people equally? What simple changes can you make in your life, to make a difference in the lives of many others?

Wendy Strobel is director of the Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center-Northeast Americans with Disabilities Act Center at the ILR School's Employment and Disability Institute.