ADA 35 Rally and March
July is Disability Pride Month, and we are celebrating here at House of Possibilities by adding our voices to the ADA 35 Rally and March in Boston! This march commemorates the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th, 1990. This landmark piece of history is near and dear to HOPe’s mission for equity, accessibility, and inclusion for all, and going to this march allowed HOPe to support the disability community at large.
The ADA was one of the first civil rights laws to protect people with disabilities from facing discrimination in schools, employment, and public spaces. As a result, each July is set aside as “Disability Pride Month… a time to recognize the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of people with disabilities,” said one statement shared by The Arc of Massachusetts. “It affirms that disability is a natural and valuable part of human diversity—not a deficit or condition to be fixed.”
This year, the ADA 35 Rally and March began at Boston City Hall Plaza and ended on the Boston Common, where people could listen to speeches celebrating the progress the disability community has made in protecting equality. Jeff Gentry, Senior Manager of Disability services at JVS, spoke to the importance of employment as a form of inclusion.“Employment-first isn’t just about getting a job—it’s about belonging, being valued, and having the same opportunity as everyone else to contribute and shine,” Gentry said. Here at HOPe, our goal is to create a world where opportunity is afforded equally, and success is accessible to everyone. This march was a wonderful way for our members to advocate for themselves and feel the support Boston has for the disability community as a whole.
Sources:
The Arc – National: “Why and How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month”: quote used: https://thearc.org/blog/why-and-how-to-celebrate-disability-pride-month/
APSE Massachusetts – Employment First Resources and Advocacy: Jeff Gentry quote: https://apse.org/
Photos from The Arc of Massachusetts Facebook page
