LYNN — The Disability Pride flag was raised outside of City Hall in honor of the 34th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act on Thursday.
The ADA, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990, was the first piece of federal civil-rights legislation to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities.
Lynn Disability Network founder Louise Dominique said she started holding an event at City Hall to commemorate ADA Day three years ago to raise awareness for accessibility needs in the community and celebrate the passage of the ADA.
“I just want everyone to do the best they can to welcome and to participate and to help people with disabilities,” she said.
She said ADA Day is a day to reflect on the progress the city’s community has made and “recommit ourselves to the principle of equality and justice.”
Dominique said she has an autistic son who is sensitive to noise and sometimes verbally stims, meaning he makes certain noises repeatedly. For people who are not aware that he has autism, she said, it can appear that she is a poor parent who does not properly discipline her son.
“I want people to understand that he doesn’t know better not to make that noise somewhere that he’s not supposed to,” she said. “I want people to have compassion for people, for parents, for people with disabilities.”
Director of Public Health Lisa Tobin said she was excited to announce on the anniversary of the ADA that the Public Health Department received a microgrant to improve accessibility in City Hall.
“I’m honored to be here and to be a part of the city’s role in promoting access and inclusivity for all residents,” Tobin said.
Andrea Gayle-Bennett, the first-ever deputy secretary for the state Executive Office of Veterans’ Services and a resident of the city, said she was proud to celebrate the anniversary of the ADA’s passage as someone who relies on a service dog and was previously denied access to places because of her dog.
She said it was an honor to celebrate the achievements of those with disabilities who paved the way for the accessibility that exists in Massachusetts today.
Gayle-Bennett said her office recognizes the unique challenges veterans with disabilities face, particularly the complexity of returning home and navigating civilian life.
“Let us be the voice of change. You can champion that change, so that every person, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to participate fully in society,” she said.
Dany Acosta, a member of the Lynn Disability Commission who emceed the event, said he challenges everyone in the community to find their purpose in advocating for more expansive accessibility in the city.
He said the city is like one big body, where the mayor is the brain, certain residents are the left eye, and other residents are the right eye.
“We all play a critical role in making sure that Lynn moves forward,” Acosta said. “We need to make sure that nobody with a disability is left behind. And it begins by making sure that we all do our part in making our city more accessible.”
Acosta, who is blind, said he thinks everyone can agree that the city can improve its sidewalks and streets to make them more accessible.
He added that the work to increase accessibility also includes acceptance of disabled people, and making resources used by businesses and organizations more accessible.
“I am not disabled by my disability,” Acosta said. “I am disabled by the things that are not made accessible to me.”
“I may not have sight, but I have vision for life,” he added. “What is the vision you have for Lynn? What is the vision you have for your community?”
Mayor Jared Nicholson said the city has made critical investments in its streetscapes and parks to improve accessibility. He added that it is important that the city takes time to reflect upon this progress on the anniversary of the ADA.
“We have a lot of work to continue to do, and that’s both in the physical landscape, but also in how we think about how we interact with our residents and how we interact with one another,” Nicholson said. “Making sure that everyone is not only welcome, but has the full ability to participate to their abilities and making this an inclusive city for all of us.”
