UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State World Campus students, staff and alumni are invited to share stories of how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has changed their lives ahead of a celebration to mark the civil rights law.
World Campus students are planning a livestream celebration on July 30 to mark this year’s 35th anniversary of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various aspects of society, including equal access to education. It passed on July 26, 1990.
The organizers, students Lauren Shevchek and Tanja Jefferson, want to highlight the impact of the ADA by showing testimonials recorded by people from the World Campus community.
World Campus students, alumni, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate by filling out this form. Organizers ask for submissions by July 7.
Shevchek and Jefferson hope to collect 35 testimonials, one for each year of the ADA. The videos will be shown in a compilation as one of the parts of the July 30 livestream. The full details of the livestream event will be announced later.
Shevchek, who is majoring in strategic communications and psychology, said she got the idea for the event through her own experience. Following her first year as a student at Penn State's University Park campus in 2013, she broke her neck and injured her spinal cord in a diving accident. She is quadriplegic and a full-time wheelchair user.
“The reality is that anyone can become disabled at any moment through several different circumstances. Living with a disability is very challenging, as life is not easy for anyone, but in an inherently inaccessible world, everyday tasks often have more obstacles for those with disabilities,” Shevchek said. “Thankfully, the Americans with Disabilities Act protects persons with disabilities from discrimination and offers the same opportunities as others in a way that is accessible to them.”
Jefferson is eager for the World Campus community to hear the stories and understand the importance of the ADA, which has long had an impact on her life.
While she was growing up, her mother was a primary caregiver for her aunt, who was severely disabled. She saw how the ADA ensured that her aunt could participate in society with her rights protected. About a year ago, Jefferson said she was diagnosed with a dynamic invisible disability in which her functioning fluctuates.
“Sharing my story, sharing the stories of the huge range of experiences of people living with a disability, is how we create not just empathy but appreciation for the necessity and importance of legislation like the ADA,” Jefferson said. “I wouldn't have been able to continue my education at Penn State without the wonderful support from the disability services team and the academic accommodations that the ADA protects.”
The livestream event is being planned in coordination with Penn State World Campus Student Affairs.
Fill out the form to submit a story to be part of the celebration.