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Los Angeles marks 10th anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act, leaders warn progress remains unfinished
Summary
Mayor Richard Riordan, city Disability Department leaders and disability-rights advocates marked the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act with recognition of local progress and calls to address remaining barriers in schools, employment and courts.
Mayor Richard Riordan and disability advocates marked the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act at the Los Angeles City Council chamber on July 28, 2000, praising local gains while warning that significant barriers remain.
At the ceremony, Riordan said Los Angeles has been “ahead of the game,” noting the city created an early Department on Disability and other measures to expand access and civic participation. Sharon Morris, director of the Department on Disability, thanked activists and city departments that have worked on the city’s ADA transition plan, and she recognized partnering agencies including the Bureau of Engineering, Street Services, Building and Safety, Recreation and Parks, Sanitation and the Human Relations Commission.
Eva (Eve) Hill, head of the Western Law Center for Disability Rights, gave the event’s keynote, tracing disability-rights advocacy through sit-ins, protests and legislation. Hill highlighted persistent gaps in education and employment cited in the meeting: she said about 32 percent of people with disabilities do not graduate high school, roughly one-third of people with disabilities are employed compared with 81 percent of people without disabilities, and about 29 percent live in poverty versus roughly 10 percent for people without disabilities.
Hill and other speakers warned of a legal and political backlash. They noted recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions and federal proposals that could narrow protections or add procedural hurdles for people seeking to enforce access rights. Hill urged ongoing vigilance, including better media portrayals and continued legal advocacy.
Council members and commissioners joined the recognition. The council presented certificates to the Department on Disability and the Department of Human Relations; Sharon Morris and representatives of the Human Relations Commission and disability advocacy groups took part in a ceremonial photograph. The mayor and several council members also noted upcoming local accessibility projects, including the city’s first “boundless playground” scheduled in Griffith Park.
The presentations included repeated appeals from advocates that the city continue to press for curb-cut completion, improved access in schools, and stronger enforcement and public education about disability rights.
A certificate presentation and an elected-official pledge effort — a “Spirit of ADA” pledge being circulated to council members — concluded the commemoration portion of the meeting.
