This coming July 26, 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, which is the largest American civil rights law preventing discrimination on the basis of disability. The civil rights movement for and by individuals with disabilities had begun much earlier and came on the heels of movements protecting the rights of other minority groups including women and African-Americans. Although there were other laws protecting discrimination against disability prior to the ADA, they were limited to publicly funded entities or isolated aspects of life. Plan to join Summit in coming months celebrating the tremendous progress made by and for individuals with disabilities regarding freedom from discrimination while also realizing there is still work to be done.

The movement to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities based on disability alone began in the US in the 1960s when the better-known racial civil rights movement was underway. In 1968 the Architectural Barriers Act mandated that all buildings and facilities designed, constructed, or altered with federal funds, or leased by a federal agency, must comply with federal physical accessibility standards. A few years later, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 expanded that by mandating that no qualified person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefit of, or discriminated against based on disability by any program or activity receiving federal funds. The law now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975 guaranteed children with disabilities with a free and appropriate public education.

Other similar laws were passed in coming years mandating disability inclusion, but the ADA expanded the protection of disabilities to all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places open to the general public. It’s hard to believe 30 years have passed since then, ADA amendments have occurred to specify its application, and change has been positive. Still, however, people often wonder why compliance issues still exist after three generations.

With this coming anniversary, join Summit and the community to celebrate this progress by attending several public events as follows:

Events Postponed Until Further Notice Due to COVID-19

• Tuesday, July 7, 2020: ADA Picnic & Adaptive Recreation Clinic at the Meadowlark Shelter of Fort Missoula Regional Park. Come see and try lots of adaptive recreation items all day and join us for a free community Picnic at 12 PM.

• Wednesday, July 22, 2020: Out to Lunch: Come to Caras Park for lunch and entertainment 11 AM-2 PM. Summit is the Spotlight Sponsor for this activity.

• Thursday, July 30, 2020: Downtown Tonight: Come to Caras Park for a nice evening with food vendors and entertainment 5 PM-7 PM. Summit is the Spotlight Sponsor for this activity.