What I Have Learned as an Intern About the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is celebrating its 31^st Anniversary on July 26^th, 2021. This is a special day because it celebrates a time in our history that allows all people to be included and valued, not only in the workplace but in life. There are some things in life that I do not have a perspective on, but I have dedicated this internship to learn more and be more aware of what is going on in the world around me.

Getting Hired has taught me that all people have a chance no matter their circumstance, they strive to be an inclusive and diverse workforce that celebrates everyone and anyone. There is nothing that can stop us from being who we are and there is always a place for us in this world.

I have learned that the ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services. For me, I just thought that everyone had access to the same opportunities, but after reading and seeing the reality of the situation, I was wrong.

I realized that 1 in 4 people have some sort of disability, whether that is seen or not. This can range from mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, but also visual impairments, hearing loss, autism, down syndrome, amputations, and the list could go on.

What is most important is we educate ourselves. Respect individual experiences. Make our content accessible. Consider accessibility in everything that we do. Advocate proactively. Lastly, show up imperfectly. I have come to understand that is a process and that I will make mistakes, but it is better to take the steps in changing my view than to never put myself in these conversations at all. Show up and be ready.

Want to support #ADA31? Check out our resources provided below to help share in the celebration:

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We've made it easy for you to participate with ready-to-go celebration images and posts that are ready for you to download and use!

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Suggested Captions, Image Descriptions, & Alt Text Provided

Prepared Facebook Posts (copy/paste/post!)

Suggested Caption: Happy 31st Anniversary to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)! Did you know that the ADA National Network is a free resource that provides information and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act? Learn more about the resources you can access here: https://adata.org/national-network  #ADA31 #ThanksToTheADA  

Suggested Alt text: This image shows four people with one that is in color to indicate one in four people in the United States have some type of disability.

 

Prepared LinkedIn Posts (copy/paste/post!)

 

Suggested Caption: Getting Hired is proud to support the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) 31st Anniversary. On July 26th we celebrate this important civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. 

Suggested Alt text: This image shows four people with one that is in color to indicate one in four people in the United States have some type of disability.

 

Prepared Tweets for Twitter (copy/paste/tweet!)

Suggested Caption: Getting Hired is proud to support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 31st Anniversary. Learn how you can too, here: www.adaanniversary.org #ADA31 #ThanksToTheADA 

Suggested Alt text: This image shows four people with one that is in color to indicate one in four people in the United States have some type of disability.