Major collaboration brings NorCal SCI and 8 Bay Area ILCs together to mark ADA's 30th anniversary

"I now lift my pen to sign this Americans with Disabilities Act and say let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down".  

Those were the exact words spoken by former President George H. W. Bush during a momentous occasion on Thurs., July 26, 1990 as he was flanked by two icons of the disability rights movement, Evan J. Kemp, Jr. and Justin Dart, who helped usher in a new era of our nation becoming more inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of that incredible day and although America (and the world) has come a long way in becoming a more accessible and inclusive society, there is so much more work yet to be done to create true equality for our disability community. Through a unique collaboration with eight Bay Area Independent Living Centers (ILCs) representing the counties of Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, Alameda, Solano, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara, NorCal SCI is seeking to commemorate this special anniversary and, more importantly, raise the awareness of political leaders about a job half done when it comes to increasing accessibility and opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Through our combined effort, all eight County Boards of Supervisors have agreed to declare proclamations marking the 30th anniversary of ADA. Additionally, we’re developing a Public Service Announcement video featuring various members of the disability community identifying some of the remaining barriers that still exist. Our aim is to promote this collectively through various channels and continue with our effort to increase public awareness.

Finally, we will be publishing several op-eds in various Bay Area daily newspapers to further spread our message as well as engage the local television stations to cover and publicize this special anniversary, what it means to the disability movement and, more importantly, what it still is missing. Our message is also aimed at political leaders who must do more to bring about the type of change that would once and for all eliminate the barriers those with disabilities face every day.

While we will share the fruits of our labor with you in the coming weeks, we couldn’t have done it without our partners at these eight ILCs and we are proud to collaborate with them for the first time ever in such a capacity.