American Dream not complete yet: Column
People and policies must continue to topple barriers of discrimination against the disabled.
It was 25 years ago on the blazing hot lawn of the White House that the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. At the time, I was enjoying the summer before fourth grade. I was oblivious to the law, but all too familiar with the ease in which I could be denied access to places or programs. It was considered completely reasonable that my mom should carry me if I wanted to go to summer camp or attend a gifted writing program. But in only a few years, the ADA would dramatically impact my life. My high school constructed an elevator so that I could access science labs and, most important, remain with my friends in my school district.
That hands-on access to science labs sparked an interest that carried me through my doctorate program in clinical psychology. The ADA supported my acceptance to practicum and internship programs when directors and hospital administrators were initially concerned about my safety in environments like psychiatric units and schools.
Blazing trails isn't easy for anyone involved in a new venture. The ADA has provided a starting point and a minimal set of standards. The spirit of the law emphasizes equality in every facet of life. The ADA doesn't provide extra or special accommodations. Instead, it offers an equal shot at achieving the American Dream – however you might define that dream.
My husband and I are both proud people with disabilities. We've defined our American Dream by completing our educations, launching into careers that we love, and starting a family. It is thanks in part to the ADA that we roll with our kids to take in a Reds game or hop out of our wheelchairs for the newest coaster at Kings Island. I don't take it for granted when I pull up to an accessible parking space or push my daughter in the swing at one of Cincinnati's beautiful parks. These accessible options are due in part to the ADA but even more importantly they are due to the people who have upheld these standards and recognized the importance of involving all members of our community in all facets of society. It is within these people that the true spirit of ADA resides.
On July 27, we'll celebrate policy as well as people when we gather in the heart of our city. We'll look back at how far we've come and celebrate the achievements of today. People with disabilities are able to live, work, love, and play in our community more than ever before.
Still, there's so much work to be done. Outdated laws and mindsets continue to serve as barriers to full inclusion. Ohio is one of 35 states in which a child can be removed from a parent's custody due to the parent's disability status alone. As I watch my children play, it's almost too terrifying to consider the potential impact of such discrimination. I feel the fiery need for change that I imagine the advocates for ADA felt decades ago. My American Dream won't be complete until I can enjoy it without the concern that the ones I love most could be taken from me for no other reason than the way I was born. Disability rights are without question civil rights. Change demands work in the form of policy and – again – people.
In the next 25 years, I hope to celebrate many more anniversaries for freedom, inclusion and equality.
Kara and Adam Ayers of Mason, who both have osteogenesis imperfecta – a type of dwarfism, traveled to China to adopt a Eli, who also has a form of dwarfism. International adoption is largely more accessible to parents with disabilities than domestic.
Mason resident Kara Ayers was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a type of dwarfism that causes her bones to break easily. She is the advocacy coordinator for the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the University of Cincinnati.
Watch a short documentary by Enquirer visual journalist Carrie Cochran on Kara and Adam Ayers, who gave birth to their daughter Hannah, now 5, then traveled to China to adopt Eli. For more inspiring stories like this, LIKE Humankind's Facebook page.
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