ARC has been advancing the dignity and potential of folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 75 years, making it the largest and one of the oldest organizations of its kind. It started in 1949 when “a two-line classified ad in the New York Post ignited the spark that brought together a small group of parents. What began as a modest response soon evolved into a powerful movement, fueled by word of mouth and compelling news coverage. Within a year, this heartfelt call united hundreds of determined parents.”

You can read more here, on the founding chapter’s website, including a timeline of accomplishments and a far more detailed scholarly review.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has its own storied history, climaxing at a poignant moment on March 12, 1990 in Washington DC. There, a group of 1000 disabled activists had come to protest the “crawling pace” of stalled legislation by eschewing their wheelchairs and climbing the Capitol Stairs.

Among them was Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, a girl with Cerebral Palsy who had been among demonstrators since she was six and already arrested for doing so by 7. In between, she’d experienced the indignity of being refused restaurant service because the establishment felt clientele would find their eating distasteful.

Although discouraged by others in the advocacy world, because they feared she would elicit pity rather than a sense of empowerment, 8-year old Jennifer determined that she was going to have her generation represented and insisted upon making the climb.

While we can never be entirely sure what moves a nation, the act received meaningful coverage, and seemed to make a profound impact. Four months later, President George H. W. Bush signed the ADA into law, revolutionizing nearly every aspect of life for folks with disabilities.

You can read more about Jennifer here. There’s a children’s book and a statue. Folks hope that work of art someday gets to visit Long Island. Even moreso, they hope we’ll not take these advances for granted, and recognize that when we serve folks with different abilities, we’re serving everyone.