Across the United States people are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the landmark legislation known as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Since the passage of ADA, the nearly one in every six Americans with a mental or physical disability have a civil rights law that protects them from employment discrimination. Additionally, the law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations and to meet accessibility requirements on their public accommodations and facilities. The celebratory anniversary commemorates the July 26, 1990 signing of the ADA and the overall achievements of the disability rights movement.
A similar anniversary celebrates 40 years of Very Special Arts (VSA) (previously known as the American National Committee's Arts for the Handicapped). The non-profit organization is partnered with the John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts. VSA is now supported by 52 international affiliates providing art and education programming to 7 million children and adults living with disabilities each year.
Very Special Arts Hellas was founded 25 years ago with a mission to "organize and implement high quality art programs that seek to enrich the lives of people with disabilities and provide opportunities to create and participate in the cultural community."
The Association of Social Responsibility for Children and Youth (SKEP) is another non-profit organization dedicated to deconstructing stereotypes and reshaping attitudes toward disability. Since 2008, SKEP has engaged with more than 21,000 youth with disabilities and more than 250 schools and institutions to fulfil the SKEP objective of interactive cooperation and relationship building between disabled youth.
Many cultural institutions across the United States are dedicating the weeks leading up to the anniversary date with special programs honoring the disabled. One such program is led by New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art which will feature events that explore the relationships between social constructions of disability and imagery in art, and the impact of disability on artistic practice. Celebrate the ADA/VSA achievements in Greece and consider supporting a local institution that provides disabled youth and adults with opportunities and outlets to express themselves.
Lighthouse for the Blind's museum: http://www.tactualmuseum.gr/html/muse.htm
Museum of Greek Folk Art educational program for those with disabilities: http://www.melt.gr/en/learn/for-people-with-disabilities/
Information for disabled visitors to Greece: http://athens.usembassy.gov/disabled.html
