New York’s governor this week signed a package of bills aimed to empower those with
disabilities. The bills marked the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act,
also known as the ADA. Governor Kathy Hochul said too often, people with disabilities are
not afforded the proper respect and dignity…
Doug Hovey is with the New York Association on Independent Living, and said we’ve come
a long way since the ADA was passed 32 years ago…
Carlos Martinez is the Executive Director of Bridges’, formerly known as the Rockland
Independent Living Center, and he’s had a saying: the fight has always been against “the
quiet prejudice of low expectations”…
The legislation also creates a public awareness campaign to combat stigma and
stereotyping, and eliminates the use in many cases of offensive language often used to
describe people with developmental disabilities.