Pamela from North Carolina

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

The ADA as a law does not go far enough to help the disabled. 1. Travel/mobility- This is an issue because many times the disabled ramps or access if farther away from the main access points. Causing people like myself using a cane to have to walk further than necessary. Many are not covered walkways, so on bad days you are left contending with inclement weather. 2. Education- I was very pleased with the help I received in all aspects of my education at JCC. They went above and beyond to help me learn. 3. Employment- This is a very poor area for the ADA. There is very few companies the help the disabled find a job. I signed up with one I was actively looking for over a year, and they finally called a month ago. The problem was the job was 75 miles away. They should be more proactive in this area.

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 the ADA, people with disabilities were shut out of the workforce. Now at least they have a chance for a career. I had the opportunity to go back to college after my accident and learn a different trade. Due to my brain injury many teachers had to adjust their teaching style to aid in my learning.Without the ADA I would not have been able to do this.

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

I would like to see something like affirmative action laws specifically tailored to people with disabilities. Maybe some tax breaks or incentives for employers to make them want to hire people with disabilities instead of shying away from them.