Celebrate Disability Pride This Saturday At St. Cloud Library

This Saturday, everyone is invited to attend the Disability Pride Event and celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at the St. Cloud Library, located at 1300 West St. Germain Street. The event runs from 12:30 pm to 4 p.m.

This is the first event taking place in St Cloud of its kind, and there will be door prizes, hands-on activities, inspiring stories, and plenty of snacks and refreshments.

Photo by Elevate on Unsplash

WHAT IS THE ADA?

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990. It brought meaningful change, not just for people with disabilities, but for all Americans, by helping prevent discrimination and making public spaces, services, and opportunities more accessible to everyone.

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CELEBRATE DISABILITY PRIDE

My friend Jenny Svihel, a passionate advocate for disability rights and one of the hardest-working people I know, wants to see the community come out in support. As someone living with a disability, Jenny says it’s important that we all stay informed and keep pushing for the access and equality everyone deserves, not just in our neighborhoods, but around the world.

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF ADA

When Jenny stopped by to chat with me about a month ago, she reminded me just how far we’ve come thanks to the ADA. The changes brought about by this legislation have not only helped the disabled community, but they’ve improved life for everyone.

Before the ADA, it was legal for:

Restaurants to refuse to serve someone with a disability.
Employers to deny jobs or pay disabled employees less for the same work.
Public transit systems to turn away passengers in wheelchairs.
Grocery stores to prevent disabled individuals from shopping.
Trains to lack accessible restrooms, forcing some travelers to wear adult diapers just to make it through a trip.

We’ve made progress, but we all still have a part to play.

DON'T MISS THE EVENT

Let’s show up, speak out, and support those in our community who live with disabilities. This event is one small way to celebrate how far we’ve come, and to stand together for how far we still need to go.

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Source: Celebrate Disability Pride This Saturday At St. Cloud Library