The month of July brings our thoughts to the history, achievements, and experiences of individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed on July 26, 1990. This commemoration is dedicated to pushing for full accessibility and recognizing that individuals with disabilities are a natural part of human diversity.
AMS Fulfillment has long focused on creating a positive and uplifting company culture. We are a Benefit Corporation (B Corp). We put people before profit, and we always have done so. We highly value our associates, and it goes without saying that we employ individuals with disabilities. In our 20+ years of existence, AMS has always highly valued integrity, fairness and equity. A positive company culture translates into the success of our clients, and the success of our clients is our success.
Disability Pride
Wikipedia gives us the inspiring concept behind Disability Pride Month:
“Disability Pride Month celebrates people with disabilities, their identities, their culture, and their contributions to society. It also seeks to change the way people think about and define disability, to end the stigma of disability, and to promote the belief that disability is a natural part of human diversity in which people living with disabilities can celebrate and take pride. It is a chance for people with disabilities to come together and celebrate being themselves, no matter their differences. It is also a chance to raise awareness of the challenges they still face every day to be treated equally.”
We know that individuals with disabilities have long endured exclusion and marginalization. They have been segregated from public life, denied education, and stripped of decision-making rights. Many individuals with disabilities were institutionalized, and independent living support systems were limited or nonexistent. Eventually the desire for justice and fairness brought about a disability rights movement. The progress we see today is due to years of courageous advocacy.
The ADA is Passed
Some of our readers may remember the efforts that went into the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A very impactful demonstration took place in 1990, when dozens of disabled demonstrators abandoned their mobility aids at the bottom of the Capitol steps, and they proceeded to crawl up the steps.
This demonstration brought to the forefront the need for disability access. There were more than 1,000 activists at the demonstration, bringing the issue to the forefront. The demonstration led to the passage of the ADA, and we thank them for their courage and wisdom. News reports referred to the demonstration as the ‘Capitol Crawl’. Sadly, but truthfully, police arrested 104 activists, many of whom were in their wheelchairs, for unlawful demonstration. Today we see a changed world, and we salute these brave individuals for helping to bring it about.
At the passage of the ADA, the first Disability Pride Day took place in Boston. It wasn’t until 2015, at the 25th anniversary of the ADA, that the entire month of July was officially recognized as Disability Pride Month. The core theme of the commemoration is inspiring: “The World Works Better With Us.”
Pride Matters to AMS
Yes indeed. We all have friends with disabilities, and we might be dealing with a disability ourselves. The fact of a disability should never ever be grounds for shame or embarrassment. There are a whole lot of heroes in wheelchairs, and they can take Pride in themselves. Living, working, growing, thriving with a disability takes a true Hero, and we know our share of Heroes.
A quick Internet search brings us some very clear thoughts as to what “Disability Pride” means: “The first official Disability Pride Month was celebrated in July 2015, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the ADA. Disability Pride affirms the right of every person to be seen, valued, and included exactly as they are. It is a rejection of narratives that treat disability as something shameful or tragic, but instead celebrate disability as a natural, meaningful part of the human experience.
“Pride, in this context, is not about ignoring the barriers that still exist. It’s about facing them head-on, without apology and without internalizing the idea that people with disabilities must change to belong. We with disabilities don’t need to be cured. We don’t need to be pitied. We need to be respected, included, and heard.”
In Today’s World
AI gives us some statistics and a look at the current situation: “61 million adults in the U.S.— 1 in 4 Americans—identify as having a disability. People with disabilities are underemployed and underrepresented. Only 22.5% of working-age adults with disabilities are employed, compared to 65% of their non-disabled peers. Economic barriers persist: people with disabilities are twice as likely to live below the poverty line.”
We hope you will join us in appreciation of our associates with disabilities. While there is still a great deal of work to be done in bringing about justice and equity, we can appreciate the heroes, past and present, who have upheld the rights of individuals with disabilities.
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