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Champion Your Rights to Equal Access and Opportunity By Chris Garr
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dvocacy is the way we move forward as a community. The ADA serves as a baseline, a starting point for access and civil rights for people with disabilities. There is much more work to be done to faithfully ensure that the spirit of that legislation is realized. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Cleveland, a coalition of agencies that provide services to people with disabilities, has created a movement of disability advocacy, improved accessibility and community awareness. It can connect families with the tools and resources needed to advocate for greater access and inclusion in the community. HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR ADVOCACY FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: • Pay attention to legislation and public policy that affects people with disabilities and lend your voice to a cause that champions equal access and opportunity. • Understand that community awareness moves accessibility forward. At times, ADA Cleveland finds itself “preaching to the choir” when the daunting task of conquering the real mountains of public understanding and community acceptance remain.
• Use public services like RTA Paratransit and the Cleveland Metroparks; visit cultural and arts institutions; frequent your public library. There remains a stigma that people with disabilities do not leave their homes. Prove the stigma wrong, educate your community and advocate for change. • Join the ADA in proclaiming proudly and loudly that people with disabilities exist as active and engaged members of society.
Improved accessibility in public spaces, communication, and aspects of all areas of daily life are necessary for the full inclusion of people with disabilities. Accessibility can mean different things to different people; those with mobility disabilities face different obstacles than people who are blind. People who are blind have different communication needs than people who are deaf and hard of hearing. Finding a universal solution isn’t always easy. ADA Cleveland provides a safe space to conduct constructive dialogue, learn from each other and create open partnerships. Visit adacleveland.org or facebook.com/adaincle to engage with us, learn with us, and find an organization that meets your needs.
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livespecial.com 2020-21
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ADA celebrated its 30th anniversary on July 26, 2020, with the first steps of a Call for Access. Understanding that the process is a marathon, not a sprint, ADA Cleveland resolved to continue to move advocacy forward with dialogue, collaboration and a shared commitment to helping people with disabilities reach their fullest potential. ADA Cleveland can connect you to the resources and services you need. In constant dialogue with 20 agencies providing a vast array of services, ADA Cleveland is in a unique position to find solutions, educate the public and take action. Among many programs and services, ADA Cleveland member agencies do the following: • Educate the community on topics related to disability and accessibility • Ensure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency • Advocate for accessible and inclusive spaces in homes and communities • Provide pediatric outpatient therapy services, school-based services and specialty clinics that help children move their bodies and find their voices so that they can better access and interact with their community • Operate an Aging & Disability Resource Center and help people identify the resources they need to remain in their homes to be as independent as possible • Provide opportunities by making sports and recreation accessible for anyone by adapting to fit individual needs
PHOT0 COURTESY OF ADA CLEVELAND
s Advocacy
