Lilah from California

How has the ADA impacted your life regarding travel/mobility, education, employment, or any other aspect?

My ADA has impacted my life at school and making friends. COVID-19 is really bad for students with learning disabilities.

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.

Before I knew I had a disability I was called a bad student with behavior problems. After my diagnosis it made sense the way I was acting but the school still didn’t want to hear what my doctors were saying. Now they listen but won’t use the “word” that describes my disability.

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

Students with disabilities need smaller class sizes when the student is mainstreamed. The way students are taught today is ‘old school’ and there needs to be innovation- not everyone can learn by reading a book.