One-in-five people in the United States live with a disability, and 25 years ago this month their lives got a little easier, thanks to a piece of landmark legislation. It was July 26, 1990 when President George H. W. Bush signed Americans with Disabilities Act into law.

The law, originally proposed by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin in 1988, prohibits discrimination based on disability, and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for disabled employees, and imposes accessibility requirements on public accommodations.

The ADA covered five key areas:

  • Employment
  • Public entities (and public transportation)
  • Public accommodations
  • Telecommunications
  • Miscellaneous provisions (protecting people who exercise their rights from retaliation)

The City of Sioux Falls is celebrating the 25th anniversary of ADA with an event Monday, July 13, at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown. 'Building Our Community By Bridging Our Past with the Future' features speeches from paralympian, and Iowa native, Cheri Blauwet, and Kathleen Harris Causey, the wife of a disabled military veteran, as well as seminars on a number of ADA related topics:

  • Adaptive Sports and Equipment
  • Requesting Workplace Supports and Accommodations
  • Reasonable Accommodations and Legal Updates
  • Self-Advocacy, Advocacy and Leadership
  • Employing Individuals with Disabilities
  • Rights and Responsibilities: Housing, Service Animals, & More
  • Community Resources: Providing Information and Answers

I talked with Deb Aden from the University of South Dakota and Colleen Moran from the City of Sioux Falls about the ADA and the Sioux Falls celebration:

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