By LISE PACE
Guest Columnist
This month, America celebrates the 31st anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Introduced in legislation in July 1990, the ADA prohibits discrimination based on an individual’s disabilities.
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law. The ADA marked a milestone in a decades-long campaign of organized protest and activism. It was a victory in the struggle for equality for a group of people who had been systematically denied basic rights. On its 31st anniversary, it’s time to reflect on its progress on reaching its stated goal.
One of the most positive outcomes of the passage of the ADA has been the increased self-worth of people with disabilities. The law not only made our world more physically accessible but also validated our faith in ourselves and our understanding that we have the same rights as all others, including the right to pursue our dreams and have access to a fulfilling life. What’s more, it has empowered a new generation of people with disabilities. We are on our way to leaving behind the days of shame we felt over our disability, or feeling like we must overcompensate because of it, to proudly embracing our disability and its culture.
My experience as someone who has lost her sight gives me perspective on the overwhelming challenges faced by someone seeking to secure employment with a disability. While landmark legislation like the ADA is so important, laws can only do so much. To be fully embraced, society must do more than follow them by the book.
People with disabilities are the largest minority group in the United States, but they still remain largely invisible. The CDC estimates that 26 percent of the U.S. population has some kind of disability. In Indiana, that number is nearly 20 percent, with almost 160,000 living with vision loss. Still, we must continually advocate for our needs, issues and concerns. Even with provisions like the ADA, Americans with vision loss still face a national unemployment rate of 70 percent.
Our invisibility persists, at least in part, because so few people with disabilities are in leadership positions in government, business and education. We are rarely in boardrooms, featured in TV shows or movies, or occupying positions of political power. While the ADA is important, it was never meant to be the sole remedy for all the oppression and injustice we face. Our goal as a society should be to enact a broader approach, extending beyond the legal abolition of discriminatory practices.
One way to embrace the spirit of the law is for the business world to expand hiring practices. Companies all over the United States struggle to find committed workers today, but many of these companies overlook and exclude nontraditional labor. Exploring a workforce that includes people who are blind, along with other underutilized populations, is a social responsibility that can help provide financial independence for people with disabilities.
According to a study by the National Industries for the Blind, 54 percent of hiring managers felt that few jobs could be done by a person who is blind. Many employers share a common misconception that accommodating a person with vision loss would be a “considerable expense.”
The truth is just the opposite. People with vision loss are highly capable and generally can be employed without major accommodations. At Bosma, we work to reverse these stereotypes and advocate for our clients through outreach and education, but we cannot do it alone.
With your help, we can better champion workers who are blind or visually impaired and broaden their presence in the workforce. For more than 100 years, Bosma has helped Hoosiers with vision loss gain meaningful employment and life skills. Our rehabilitation programs and job services assist more than 1,000 people each year with finding employment. But with support, we can help many more.
We are proud to pioneer innovative services for our clients and to advocate for policies that provide them with opportunities equal to those held by sighted people. We hope you will join us in our mission to encourage inclusion and equity in the hiring process for those with visual impairments, and for those with other disabilities as well. A more diverse workforce benefits everyone and will lift our nation closer to the goals set forth by our forefathers, with liberty and justice for all.
Lise Pace serves at the Vice President of External Affairs for Bosma Enterprises. Learn more at bosma.org.