Ohio Valley Goodwill Joins in Celebrating the 31st Anniversary of the ADA!

At the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush stated:

” Three weeks ago we celebrated our nation’s Independence Day. Today we’re here to rejoice in and celebrate another ‘independence day,’ one that is long overdue. 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.”

Source:  Remarks of President George Bush at the Signing of the ADA
(eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/35th/videos/ada_signing_text.html)

The ADA was the world’s first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities. It was a collaborative effort of Democrats, Republicans, the legislative and the executive branches, federal and state agencies, and people with and without disabilities.

The ADA Anniversary is a time that we can reflect positively on a law that has made a great impact on the lives of people with disabilities and our country over the past 26 years. The message within the Preamble and history is powerful because it clearly states the Congressional intent that the law is intended “to assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.”

We encourage you to use the Findings, Purpose, and History of the ADA in preparation for your anniversary events to continually promote the equal opportunity, independence, and full participation of people with disabilities in American society. For 105 years, Ohio Valley Goodwill has been dedicated to the mission of helping people with disabilities to attain employment and achieve personal success. Locally, Goodwill helps thousands of people each year to get jobs in the Greater Cincinnati community and even during the pandemic in 2020, assisted 580 people to attain employment. Recipient of the 2021 Inclusion Award from the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Ohio Valley Goodwill is proud of each and every individual the organization serves. We join with the larger community in celebrating the 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and our collaborative efforts to promote equality and inclusion.

ADA ““ Findings and Purpose

When President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law “” the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities “” in front of 3,000 people on the White House lawn on July 26, 1990, the event represented an historical benchmark and a milestone in America’s commitment to full and equal opportunity for all of its citizens.

The President’s emphatic directive on that day “” “Let the shameful walls of exclusion finally come tumbling down” “” neatly encapsulated the simple yet long overdue message of the ADA: that millions of Americans with disabilities are full-fledged citizens and as such are entitled to legal protections that ensure them equal opportunity and access to the mainstream of American life.

Enactment of the ADA reflects deeply held American ideals that treasure the contributions that individuals can make when free from arbitrary, unjust, or outmoded societal attitudes and practices that prevent the realization of their potential. The ADA reflects a recognition that the surest path to America’s continued vitality, strength and vibrancy is through the full realization of the contributions of all of its citizens.

Source:  ADA Handbook ““ Preamble