In the media lately, the focus on diversity is often missing a big segment of other voices among the population. Conversations about race, culture, religion, and gender are making headlines. But what about you? Are your concerns being addressed? In a time when inclusion and participation on the Greater Conversation are important, people with disabilities are often left feeling as though they are still unable to contribute. Even the landscape of language takes physical and mental ability as default, even in the basis of expression (do you “see” what I mean?). Consideration of people with disabilities is often neglected.
The ADA was made law in 1990, making it one of the most recent civil rights laws, and those it protects as being some of the most recent marginalized groups to have the legal protection of the US Government from discrimination. Just over twenty years later, there are still many obstacles to overcome. Barriers that go beyond the way idioms and language contribute to communication. When a person with disabilities is unable to gain access to a public building or be able to communicate their ideas with others, where is the place for their input in the Greater Conversation?
When the ability to convey concerns, questions, or even objections to the status quo have no medium, then oftentimes, silence is treated as consent. The ADA guarantees that anyone with a disability has a “voice” when it comes to their welfare and well-being.
If you feel like you have been left out of the big picture, contact us. Together, we can make sure that diversity also incorporates your experience. Isn’t it about time?