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Enable America Praises the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Charts a Course for the Future

As you know, the aging-in-place movement is championed for both seniors and people with disabilities. Groups dedicated to assisting people with disabilities are constantly working to help them achieve safe and independent living. It is no surprise then that many of these advocacy groups are loudly honoring the recent anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). One such advocate, Enable America (EA) is joining that celebration and using this occasion as inspiration for the work that will be needed over the next 20 years in furthering the rights of people with disabilities.

July 25, 2010 marked the 20th anniversary of the ADA. A recent article for EA praised the great work by all in furthering the rights of people with disabilities—while calling for new action that will be necessary to advance those rights in the years ahead.

Established in 2002, EA is a non-profit organization devoted to empowering people with disabilities to achieve independence through employment. The organization’s Community Connections, Business Connections, and VetConnect programs unite members of the disability community and business community to raise awareness and increase employment opportunities for the 54 million Americans with disabilities—including our nation’s wounded soldiers.

EA’s founder and CEO, Richard Salem, personally understands that challenge—having lost his sight when he was a teenager. “The ADA represents an historic civil rights achievement, and we have much to be proud of as we look back at what we have accomplished over the past two decades,” Salem said. “At the same time, we must not rest on the past, when so much work remains. The unemployment rate among people with disabilities remains much too high when compared to the overall jobless rate. This anniversary is a time for celebration, as well as an inspiration for all of us to recommit our efforts to the work at hand.”

The ADA represents the world's first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities. On July 26, 1990, President George Bush noted, “With today's signing of the landmark Americans for Disabilities Act, every man, woman, and child with a disability can now pass through once-closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence, and freedom.”

EA is also committed to ensuring that those same rights are protected. Through its research and outreach across the nation, it discovered millions of Americans with disabilities with employable skills, who want to work, but often face additional barriers to finding jobs. As a result, EA has committed its efforts to improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities. “People with disabilities want what all of us want, an opportunity to pursue the American Dream,” Salem explained. “Through employment, we not only achieve that, but we also strengthen our economy by adding to the diversity of skills and talents that people with disabilities bring to the workforce. What we advocate is not charity, it is simply good business, necessary for a vibrant economy.”

Among the many programs that EA offers in this field is an on-the-job employee mentoring program. EA matches mentors from local companies with “mentees” from the community, people with disabilities, or wounded veterans who often have difficulty finding work. While the experience helps those people become more employable, there is also value to the companies in building workforce diversity.

Steve LaBour, Executive Director of EA, concludes, “This anniversary gives us an occasion to fully understand what we can achieve, when together we are committed to a mutual and worthy goal. It is time for reflection and appreciation, as we focus on the work we will do and the goals we have set for the next 20 years.”