By Brandon Scott | Easterseals Crossroads
Each year, we proudly celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)—a landmark civil rights law that changed the lives of millions of Americans, including mine. Signed into law on July 26, 1990, the ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, education, transportation, and access to public and private spaces. It was a game-changer—opening doors (literally and figuratively) that were previously shut.
At Easterseals Crossroads, the ADA isn’t just a law we reference; it’s a foundation we build on. It’s the reason so many of the individuals we support can go to work, school, and community spaces with greater dignity and independence. It’s the reason I’ve been able to thrive in a career I love, raise a family, and navigate a world that’s just a little more built for people like me.
But as we celebrate more than three decades of the ADA, it’s also important to acknowledge a simple truth: we still have work to do.
Why We Celebrate
We celebrate the ADA because it represents progress. Before the ADA, people with disabilities were routinely excluded from public life. Sidewalks didn’t have curb cuts. Buses didn’t have lifts. Employers didn’t have to accommodate workers with disabilities. Buildings, schools, and workplaces could be completely inaccessible, and there were no legal consequences.
The ADA changed that. It gave people with disabilities the right to be seen, heard, and included. It sparked conversations about inclusion, led to the development of accessible technology, and laid the groundwork for further disability rights advocacy.
Celebrating the ADA is about honoring the activists who fought for this law and recognizing how far we’ve come.
Why We Still Advocate
Even with the ADA in place, accessibility gaps persist in almost every area of life. Public transportation may technically be required to be accessible, but in practice, it often falls short. New buildings sometimes meet the minimum legal requirements, but ‘minimum’ isn’t the same as ‘inclusive’. Digital accessibility remains an overlooked issue in many workplaces and websites. And attitudinal barriers—people’s assumptions, biases, or lack of awareness—can be the hardest obstacle of all.
Many people with disabilities still face employment discrimination, inaccessible housing, limited healthcare options, and barriers in education. For those of us in the disability community, the ADA is a critical foundation—but not a finish line.
Moving Forward Together
True inclusion means going beyond compliance. It means designing environments, systems, and experiences that consider people of all abilities from the start. It means amplifying disabled voices, advocating for better policy enforcement, and continuing to ask hard questions about equity and access.
At Easterseals Crossroads, we live this mission every day. Whether we’re helping someone find a job, access technology, or attend a summer camp built for all abilities, we are continuing the work the ADA began—work that will only be complete when accessibility is not the exception, but the norm.
Yes, we celebrate. We celebrate the ADA’s anniversary with gratitude and pride. However, we also recommit ourselves to the work still ahead, because a more accessible and inclusive world benefits all of us.
Let’s honor the past by building a better future.
