I'm Art Blaser from Orange, California
South of Los Angeles.
The first question had to do with
my background
and when I became aware of the ADA.
Like with a lot of people,
I became much more aware of
the ADA when I became disabled,
in 1993
as the result of a brain stem stroke.
Major issues for me
included access to my home
and access to my job.
One seemingly trivial
matter that was a major concern
was curb cuts in my neighborhood.
In theory, under the ADA,
they were supposed to be there,
but were not until 1997.
The spirit of the ADA, of equal access,
was something broader than the practices
but very important in bringing about the
that meant so much to me. Access to
buildings and being able to continue
teaching with the aid of computerized
assistive technology were very important
in my continuing to work at Chapman
University, where I've worked since 1981.
This wouldn't have been possible decades
ago. Colleagues also became more aware of
inequities and realized: “this isn’t
supposed to happen." I've been
privileged to coordinate Chapman's
Disability Studies minor, and to become
familiar with the so called “ADA
generation” of students who grew up with
the ADA. As with California law, realizing
the spirit is more likely when people act.
The spirit of the ADA helps in making the
world a better place, usually. A challenge
we'll face in the future that is
developing now will be ensuring that the
catastrophic effects of COVID-19 do not
recur. The high death rate
in nursing homes needs to be of
concern to everyone, and we need to do
better at providing opportunities to live
in the community rather than in congregate
The Olmstead case was very important in
establishing the right to live in the
community under the ADA, and independent
living centers are playing important
roles in people moving from nursing homes
to the community. In Orange County, I've
been privileged to serve as a board
member of the County's Independent
Living Center, the Dayle McIntosh Center.
This needs to be a priority, not only in
the US but also everywhere that is
experiencing high death rates in nursing
homes. Another factor is the large number
now particularly younger people who are
testing positive for COVID-19 but
recovering at a higher risk for stroke and
multiple sclerosis. Members of the
disability community are well-versed in
demonstrating that a high quality of life
is possible, and society and government
need to provide support that makes this
possible.
The most important steps involve education
broadly conceived. Beginning in child care
people are aware of human differences and
education continues throughout
the lifespan not only to schools but also
through religious organizations and
entertainment media. Increasing
visibility of disabled people, expressed
through different organizations, is
invaluable. Colleges and universities play
an important role, especially when they
value input from disability organizations
and learned experiences of disabled people
Projects such as the Disability Visibility
Project help in publicizing disabled
voices and colleges and universities
can help by calling attention to those
voices rather than trying to offer
expertise in how others should live.