WEBVTT 00:00:00.300 --> 00:00:07.440 I'm Art Blaser from Orange, California 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:09.530 South of Los Angeles. 00:00:09.530 --> 00:00:12.627 And the first question had to do with 00:00:12.630 --> 00:00:16.227 my background and how I became aware 00:00:16.227 --> 00:00:21.127 of the ADA, Disability association 00:00:21.880 --> 00:00:26.820 In my case, although I had some knowledge before, 00:00:27.195 --> 00:00:30.941 not a lot less than most people, 00:00:30.950 --> 00:00:33.497 til I became disabled, NOTE Paragraph 00:00:33.718 --> 00:00:39.058 Which was in 1983, I had a brain stem stroke 00:00:39.507 --> 00:00:42.570 and became disabled and a full time 00:00:42.570 --> 00:00:45.906 wheelchair user today. 00:00:45.909 --> 00:00:48.589 and I would say that 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:51.044 the issues of disability 00:00:51.074 --> 00:00:56.274 I confronted 00:00:56.699 --> 00:01:00.889 a big one was access to my home 00:01:00.938 --> 00:01:04.398 and a simple one was access to my job. 00:01:04.435 --> 00:01:05.435 One seemingly trivial 00:01:05.443 --> 00:01:06.923 matter that was a major concern 00:01:06.940 --> 00:01:08.510 was curb cuts in my neighborhood. 00:01:08.510 --> 00:01:09.700 In theory, under the ADA, 00:01:09.702 --> 00:01:11.354 they were supposed to be in place, 00:01:11.354 --> 00:01:15.354 but were not, in practice, until 1995. 00:01:15.503 --> 00:01:18.279 They are today, which I think is 00:01:18.299 --> 00:01:21.809 emblematic of the impact of the ADA. 00:01:27.949 --> 00:01:31.589 The spirit of the ADA 00:01:31.589 --> 00:01:35.001 Would be a combination of talking 00:01:35.001 --> 00:01:37.977 to the public about their needs 00:01:37.977 --> 00:01:41.529 and eventually Orange, where I lived, 00:01:41.529 --> 00:01:45.978 had curb cuts at the corners, which meant 00:01:45.978 --> 00:01:50.849 it was possible for me to live. 00:01:50.868 --> 00:01:53.139 Access to 00:01:53.139 --> 00:01:59.883 buildings and being able to continue 00:01:59.883 --> 00:02:04.403 teaching with the aid of computerized 00:02:04.409 --> 00:02:06.649 voice were very important 00:02:06.649 --> 00:02:08.098 in continuing to teach. 00:02:08.098 --> 00:02:10.575 It's the kind of thing that 00:02:10.575 --> 00:02:13.628 wouldn't exist decades ago. 00:02:21.973 --> 00:02:25.973 California law reinforces 00:02:26.166 --> 00:02:30.166 the spirit of the ADA. 00:02:31.409 --> 00:02:38.619 We see the ADA do good things 00:02:38.619 --> 00:02:40.708 and some things that don't work 00:02:40.708 --> 00:02:44.803 just about every day that they 00:02:44.861 --> 00:02:49.741 try to get access to different buildings. 00:02:55.267 --> 00:02:58.101 This shouldn't be happening, 00:02:58.101 --> 00:02:59.938 but in fact it is 00:03:04.350 --> 00:03:06.790 If people are motivated, 00:03:06.790 --> 00:03:10.843 eventually things change and adapt. 00:03:10.916 --> 00:03:16.046 I teach 00:03:16.074 --> 00:03:22.084 at Chapel University, since 1981, 00:03:22.084 --> 00:03:24.744 so before the ADA. 00:03:24.745 --> 00:03:31.745 When I became disabled, I noticed 00:03:31.745 --> 00:03:35.320 a lot of the affects through teaching 00:03:35.320 --> 00:03:40.514 about disabilities, while having students 00:03:40.539 --> 00:03:43.059 who actually grew up knowing 00:03:43.059 --> 00:03:46.019 that the ADA existed. 00:03:46.876 --> 00:03:50.876 They're the so-called "ADA generation" 00:03:51.013 --> 00:03:54.243 Which makes a big difference 00:03:54.243 --> 00:03:59.032 People are claiming disability and trying 00:03:59.032 --> 00:04:03.079 to make the world a better place. 00:04:03.098 --> 00:04:07.478 And, in many cases, they're successful 00:04:07.478 --> 00:04:10.648 and in some cases, not. 00:04:10.648 --> 00:04:15.327 I think there's a desire 00:04:15.327 --> 00:04:19.327 to understand the reason for it. 00:04:19.327 --> 00:04:23.327 I think 00:10:17.923 --> 00:10:21.923 The spirit of the ADA helps in making the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 world a better place, usually. A challenge 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we'll face in the future that is 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 developing now will be ensuring that the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 catastrophic effects of COVID-19 do not 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 recur. The high death rate 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in nursing homes needs to be of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 concern to everyone, and we need to do 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 better at providing opportunities to live 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in the community rather than in congregate 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The Olmstead case was very important in 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 establishing the right to live in the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 community under the ADA, and independent 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 living centers are playing important 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 roles in people moving from nursing homes 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to the community. In Orange County, I've 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 been privileged to serve as a board 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 member of the County's Independent 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Living Center, the Dayle McIntosh Center. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This needs to be a priority, not only in 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the US but also everywhere that is 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 experiencing high death rates in nursing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 homes. Another factor is the large number 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 now particularly younger people who are 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 testing positive for COVID-19 but 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 recovering at a higher risk for stroke and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 multiple sclerosis. Members of the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 disability community are well-versed in 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 demonstrating that a high quality of life 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is possible, and society and government 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 need to provide support that makes this 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 possible. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The most important steps involve education 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 broadly conceived. Beginning in child care 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 people are aware of human differences and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 education continues throughout 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the lifespan not only to schools but also 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 through religious organizations and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 entertainment media. Increasing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 visibility of disabled people, expressed 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 through different organizations, is 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 invaluable. Colleges and universities play 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 an important role, especially when they 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 value input from disability organizations 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and learned experiences of disabled people 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Projects such as the Disability Visibility 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Project help in publicizing disabled 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 voices and colleges and universities 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 can help by calling attention to those 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 voices rather than trying to offer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 expertise in how others should live.