Hi, I am Lateef McLeod,

and I am a PhD candidate at the
anthropology and social change program

at California Institute
for Integral Studies,

and also the Vice President
of the LEAD committee

at the International Society for
Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

I am also a published poet
with two books out,

"A Declaration of a Body of Love"

and "Whispers of Krip Love
Shouts of Krip Revolution."

I am also writing on a novel
entitled "The Third Eye Is Crying."

The first memory I have
of disability discrimination or ableism

is when I was at Marine World as a child,

and I wanted to play
on this big play structure jungle

that they had,
but I could not climb the rope slides

to enter the play structure.

This is my first vivid memory that I
couldn't do things that other kids did,

and I had a feeling of being left out.

This feeling of being left out
has followed me throughout my life

as I observe that our society and culture

is more accessible for temporary
able-bodied people

and not disabled people.

The ADA has been a big
difference in my life.

Without its passing, I wouldn't be able
to obtain my educational degrees

like my Bachelor's in English
from UC Berkeley

and my Master's of Fine Arts
in Creative Writing at Mills College.

I also would not be able
to currently pursue my doctorate

in anthropology at California Institute
for Integral Studies.

Also, most importantly,
the ADA is instrumental in getting

us disabled people the accessibility
to go into stores, restaurants,

and other business establishments
to fully engage in society.

I think our society needs to have enough
equity with disabled people's lives.

We need equal access to housing,

equal access to healthcare,

and equal access to education.

It's these we need free and available
to anyone who needs them,

especially disabled people,
I think it will go a long way

to improving the equity in society,
especially around disabled people.

I think we all can join or support
disabled-led disability rights

and disability justice organizations

that are doing the work on improving
the lives of disabled people.

I would focus on people of color-led
disabled organizations

that focus on servicing people of color
disabled communities.

We still and need to for the organize

and for a better society
for disabled people,

because we are not there yet.

That we still need to organize
and advocate for a better society

for disabled people,
because we are not there yet.