Luz from California

Can you share a “before and after” experience; e.g., before the ADA I couldn’t do X or was denied access to Y, and thanks to the ADA I can do Z.

I was not alive yet when the ADA became a part of the law, however I was alive when it was enforced in the 90s. It is because of the ADA, that I have protection against discrimination. I was discriminated against three times in three different public schools. It is thanks to the ADA that I was able to have something to protect me, which is the law, That allows me and others to enforce receiving the accommodations that we need to have equality with the rest of our non-disabled classmates

What advances in disability rights would you like to see in the next 30 years?

I would love to see technology for the disabled become more affordable. I hope that colleges and other types of schools, but especially colleges, become more knowledgeable of all the types of accommodations they could provide for disabled students, and by that knowledge, applied to the needs of the disabled students, to optimize as much equality as possible and as much success for the student as possible. I would love to see employers recognize the different and special unique talents and gifts of disabled people, and consider them as an asset to their business, rather than a liability, extra cost, and/or slow down of production/profit/benefit to the business or entity. I would love to hear more about disabled people living their dream career, more disabled people having graduated college, and more disabled people Successful in the workforce without anyone putting them down or treating them as less in any way shape or form