In 1973 here in the US, Congress enacted the Rehabilitation Act, signed by President Richard Nixon. This act, and in particular Section 504 of this Act, prohibits discrimination of people with disabilities from any program receiving federal funding. This includes federal programs and agencies, securing more access for those with disabilities to education and employment opportunities via reasonable accommodation. IDEA Act The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 established rights for people with disabilities in relation to public funds and spaces. Following it up with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the ADA further expanded on this concept, giving the BARE MINIMUM necessary to be considered “accessible”. Congress has updated the…
-
-
If you’re here for the first time hi! The introductory post to JWL was last week. Now, this week, we move on to the biggest reason I exist. Advocacy is the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal. This is the definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary. You can advocate for any cause. For instance, I can advocate for something like wearing pink on Wednesdays. I can advocate for another person, like a family member or a friend. However, my favorite type of advocacy is self-advocacy. Self-advocacy is defined as a skill of effectively communicating your own needs, wants, and rights to achieve goals. Self-advocacy is a learned skill. People with…
-
Over the course of the last few years, a lot changed in my life. I went to school to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant. I graduated from my program (with Honors). A few months later, I took the hardest test I ever have had to take to earn my license to practice Occupational Therapy and earned my certification. I am now engaged, however, I can’t get legally married thanks to the disability benefits system (we’ll visit that topic later) and I spent a full year dealing with health concerns ultimately from my old wheelchair attacking me. Another way the health care system is reactive and not proactive. Another story I will…