SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring July 26, 2022, as “Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness Day” in the State of California.
The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:
PROCLAMATION
As the epicenter of the disability rights movement for more than 50 years, California celebrates the vital contributions that people with disabilities have made to our state and nation. As we recognize the 32nd anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), California affirms our nation-leading commitment to providing equal access and opportunities to people with disabilities.
Our nation was truly transformed when the ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This federal civil rights legislation prohibited the discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. The landmark legislation was made possible by a mobilized and concentrated effort started by those in the disability rights movement who had spent decades pushing back against a society that did not include them in community life. Before the ADA, people with disabilities did not have equal access to employment, telecommunications, transportation and public services and accommodations. The passage of the ADA removed barriers for people with disabilities and ushered in a new era of inclusion and integration in all aspects of life.
Many Californians at the forefront of the disability rights movement have fought hard to see the ADA become reality and be successfully implemented, including Ed Roberts, who has been called the father of the independent living movement; activist Eleanor Riese, who helped to change the laws regarding the use of psychotropic medications in treating people with mental health disabilities; Congressman Tony Coelho, who sponsored the ADA in the U.S. House of Representatives; and activist and writer Alice Wong, founder of the Disability Visibility Project. These individuals and others have sacrificed, resisted, and demanded an end to injustice and bias against people with disabilities.
As we celebrate the ADA and its impact on improving the lives of people with disabilities and our nation as a whole, it is imperative to also acknowledge that there is more work to do. Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility are central California values. Our state has created initiatives that focus on improving educational opportunities, health access, and community living for people with disabilities. We also prioritize the recruitment of people with disabilities to key positions within state service and the accessibility of state services.
California is committed to fulfilling the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act, ensuring that all Californians, including those with disabilities, have equitable access to opportunities to achieve their dreams and live the life they desire.
NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim July 26, 2022, as “Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness Day.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 26th day of July 2022.
GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California
ATTEST:
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
Secretary of State
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