Next month, we will celebrate the 34th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark legislation ensures that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as those without disabilities, aiming to provide equal access in all aspects of society.
However, individuals must build upon this legislation by asking, "How can I support and uplift those with disabilities? How do I begin?"
A fellow civility author, Jay Remer, offers a meaningful insight in his book The 6 Pillars of Civility. Jay shares that he was attending an event in New York and met a journalist who asked him to read the sign on the back of her wheelchair.
In Jay's words: "Most placards I had seen on wheelchairs in New York were pleas for money or food. This sign simply said, "Please Push My Wheelchair." Frankly, I thought it was an unusual request. Without prompting, she related to me why she carried the sign: it provided clarification and allowed people to assist her and others who might need a push. She went on to explain how important it is to give people opportunities to help each other."
This beautiful example reminds us that 34 years after its passing, the ADA doesn't mean that people with disabilities do not need, or would necessarily mind, being given some extra assistance. We just need the empathy and courage to ask how we can help them. The ADA's anniversary is on Friday, 26 July.
Image Credit: Disability Friendly
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Michael Benedict published his first book, The Civil Society Playbook: A Commonsense Plan for a Return to Civility, in 2024. His career spans 25+ years in senior-level marketing positions at Fortune 1000 companies, tech startups, and marketing consultancies. His book covers areas of incivility that are not frequently discussed in the media. It offers solutions - actions - that anyone, regardless of age, can implement to improve civility in all aspects of society. He can be reached at michaelbbenedict@gmail.com. The book is available on Amazon, Apple Books, and Audible.
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