Our government is rolling back the ADA requirements that enable people with disabilities to exist and function in a world that is already less-than-accessible. These protections, once a lifeline, are being sacrificed to pad the profits of companies that are already immensely wealthy. This isn’t just an issue of greed—it’s a fundamental failure to value the humanity of people with disabilities.
Right now, our ability to work, to support our families, and to live with dignity is under attack. For those who can’t work due to the severity of their disabilities or a lack of accessibility, the safety net is already riddled with holes, leaving many condemned to a life of poverty. And the changes being made now will make it worse.
Americans are losing access to healthcare, especially through Medicaid, a program that provides vital medical treatment to millions of people, including children. Let this sink in: 36% of Medicaid recipients are children. Our government is choosing to deprive children of the medical care they need to survive and thrive, simply because they are poor, or because they are disabled. How can we call ourselves a compassionate society if we allow this to continue?
People with disabilities did not choose their circumstances. We did not choose to be born this way, to endure accidents or illnesses that left us disabled, or to grow old and face the challenges that aging naturally brings. And yet, instead of support, we are met with barriers—both literal and systemic.
The truth is, accessibility benefits everyone. A building with open-access ramping welcomes all. A system designed with inclusion in mind uplifts entire communities. So why are we allowing new buildings to be designed with grand stairs and inaccessible layouts, locking out 25% of the population? Why are we gutting the very regulations that make it possible for us to participate in society?
The answer is as simple as it is infuriating: Too many decision-makers see no value in accessibility because they see no value in us. And we cannot let this stand.
Here’s what you can do:
• Speak up. Contact your representatives. Demand that they protect the ADA and expand accessibility. Ask them to support Medicaid and other healthcare programs that serve the most vulnerable.
• Amplify our voices. Share stories of people with disabilities. Show the world that we are not a burden but a vital part of society.
• Support accessibility in your community. Advocate for accessible design in public spaces, workplaces, and businesses.
• Hold corporations accountable. Push back against the greed that prioritizes profits over people.
• Educate yourself and others. Learn about the challenges faced by people with disabilities and share that knowledge with those around you.
This is a fight for equality, for dignity, and for the basic human rights of 25% of our population. People with disabilities are not asking for handouts; we are asking for the opportunity to live, work, and contribute. But we cannot do it alone.
Stand with us. Fight with us. Together, we can create a world where accessibility is the norm, not the exception—a world that values every person, regardless of ability.
It is time to wake up. Time to recognize that people with disabilities are not a burden, but an integral part of our society – a society that claims to value inclusion, equality, and opportunity for all.
These attacks on accessibility, medical care, and the foundational protections of the ADA are not just attacks on the disabled community – they are attacks on our shared humanity. We cannot stand by as the doors to opportunity, healthcare, and dignity are slammed shut for 25% of our population.
We deserve better. Our children deserve better. Our communities deserve better. The strength of a society is measured not by how it treats its wealthiest and most privileged, but by how it uplifts its most vulnerable. Accessibility and accommodations are not luxuries – they are necessities that allow us to live, thrive, and contribute.
To anyone listening, I urge you to stand with us. Amplify our voices. Advocate for accessibility, inclusion, and fairness. Demand that our government and corporations do what is right, not what is easiest or most profitable. Together, we can build a future where everyone, regardless of ability, is seen, heard, and valued. We are ALL worth it.
