LYNN — Local lawmakers and community advocates gathered yesterday to raise the disability pride flag at City Hall to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities (ADA) act.
The ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990, and was the first piece of federal civil rights legislation to protect people with disabilities against discrimination.
Lynn attorney Tristan Smith spoke about the history of the landmark ADA at the ceremony.
“The ADA took the playbook from the Civil Rights Act to make sure that public accommodations were accessible for all people. When we talk about access for all, access for disabled folks and everyone among us, we have to remember it is a civil rights issue. Disability access is not something that is nice to have, it is something that we must have as Americans,” Smith said.
Senator Brendan Crighton laid out the definition of what public accommodations entail for the residents of Lynn. “It means anything that is accessible to the public — all the goods, amenities, buildings that we all enjoy daily — need to be accessible for all,” he said.
Mayor Jared Nicholson also offered his support for the progress the ADA has made for Lynn’s disabled community.
“We want to live in a community that welcomes everyone and allows everyone to thrive, and that includes members of the disability community. And we’ve made great strides in trying to do better in that regard, and we have a lot more work to do,” Nicholson said.
Lynn Disability Network Founder Louise Dominque is proud of the strides that the disability community has made in the past 35 years. However, she also said the fight for equality is not over.
“People with disabilities still face barriers with jobs, housing, healthcare, transportation, and education. So today we celebrate what happened, but we keep reminding ourselves to keep pushing forward,” Dominque said.
Lynn Personnel Director and Lynn Disability Commission Coordinator Drew Russo was the keynote speaker at the event, and referred to the ADA as “one of the greatest civil rights issues of our time.”
“The ADA positively impacts all of our lives, sometimes in ways we don’t fully appreciate until we’ve personally encountered its incredible impact,” Russo said.
Russo also emphasized the power individual citizens can have when it comes to reducing discrimination for the disabled community.
“We’re seeing that right here in Lynn. We’re so fortunate to have advocates with passion, drive, and commitment, from our own revitalized disability commission. Our neighbors are stepping up to make sure that Lynn best meets the promise of the ADA,” Russo said.
“Now more than ever it is the responsibility of committed citizens like us to make sure the ADA is followed, improved upon, and implemented so all remaining barriers crumble down,” he added.
