Celebrating the 31st anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Act | Information

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will soon be 31 and the Palestine Resource Center for Independent Living (PRCIL) will host an ADA Celebration and Resource Fair on Monday, July 26th at 8:30 a.m. in the Reagan Park Pavilion 709 Crockett Street. Greg Gunnels, OTR with Palestine Regional Medical Center will speak about ‘The ADA and Housing’.

A resource fair will be held in conjunction with the ADA celebration to connect, empower, and support individuals living in and around Palestine by sharing and providing information on the many services available in the community. The resource fair will allow attendees to get in touch with local organizations and have the opportunity to speak to the agencies that offer help and information.

Sponsors for the celebration and resource fair are Brookshire, City of Palestine, PRCIL, Subway and Whataburger. Light refreshments are served.

Participants are asked to wear a mask to minimize the risk of transmitting the COVID-19 virus.

The ADA was enacted on July 26, 1990 by President George HW Bush. This pioneering law was the first federal citizenship law in favor of people with disabilities. More than 54 million Americans with disabilities, regardless of skill level, have access to public housing, jobs, transportation, telecommunications, and all state and local government services because of the ADA.

This law gives people with disabilities similar civil rights protection as individuals on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age and religion. Because the ADA is a far-reaching civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability, it is often compared to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of public life, including work, school, transport, and all public and private places open to the public.

Basically, the ADA states that people with disabilities have the right to live independently like everyone else, to make their own decisions that affect their lives, and to engage in activities of their choice. The ADA has broken down barriers and enabled society to capitalize on the skills, talents, and purchasing power of people with disabilities, which has resulted in more fulfilling and productive lives for all Americans.

For more information on the ADA, contact the Palestine Resource Center for Independent Living at 903-729-7505.