US Celebrations for the 20th Anniversary of ADA

Guest Blogger: Adam Singh

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),  was signed on July 26, 1990 by then President George H. W. Bush.  The ADA prohibits any discrimination based solely on a person’s disability.

As defined by the ADA, a disability is “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.” The ADA provides a wide variety of protections for disabled US citizens in areas of every day life such as:

• employment
• public entities
• transportation
• public accommodations
• telecommunications

“any form of retaliation or coercion, including threats, intimidation, or interference, is prohibited if it is intended to interfere [with the ADA].”

Around the nation, there are many celebrations planned to commemorate the signing of the ADA.  A few of  the celebrations include:

• A 20th anniversary gala in Washington DC.
• A celebration at the Waterloo Bucks baseball game in Iowa.
• A celebration at the Governor’s residence in Nashville, Tennessee.
• A celebration on the Boston Common. 
• A celebration at the State Capitol building in Sacramento, CA.
• A 5 hour educational fair in Watertown, NY
• A celebration at the Capitol steps in Salem, OR
• A potluck picnic at Sloan’s Lake Park in Denver, CO
• A disability pride parade in downtown Chicago, IL
• A celebration at the State Capitol building in Iowa.