Dear John,

Today, on July 26th, 2022, we celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act — the United States of America’s most comprehensive civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.

Today, we affirm that we all deserve the chance to fully participate in society and remember the brave activists who took charge — getting out of their wheelchairs and crawling up the steps of the US Capitol on March 12, 1990, to demand our basic human rights. Hundreds of people with disabilities took part in this action and were the catalyst in pushing Congress to move forward and pass this landmark civil rights bill.

We recognize that for all its successes, the Americans with Disabilities Act is not sufficient in its guarantee of disability equity and accessibility. For example, people with disabilities who have multiple identities, such as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color with disabilities and/or members of the LGBTQIA+ communities with disabilities.

While there is still a long way to go, here in Oregon and beyond -- we remain committed to building a more inclusive, accessible, and equitable state for all.

Get Involved!

Today, July 26, 2022, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) turns 32! Celebrate and tell us your story! Use any media of your choosing (video, pictures, written word, or other) and share on social media:

Facebook: #ThanksToTheADA.

Twitter: #ThanksToTheADA #ADA32 #ADANetwork #DisabilityPride

Thanks for joining us in this fight,
Steph Newton, Chair, DPO Disability Justice Caucus

PS - For more information on our Disability Justice Caucus, please sign up using the link below or join us at our next meeting, which will be held during the Democratic Party of Oregon's third quarter State Central Committee meeting on August 20-21. Details here.