nuwsletter | july 2023

Volume 7

our nuwsletter / July 2023

Quote of the month:

“Why be a star when you can make a constellation?”

— Mariam Kaba

nu-education:

ADA Anniversary:

This month we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA, signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all public and private places open to the general public, such as jobs, schools, transportation, restaurants, and shopping centers. The ADA also ensures that these spaces are physically accessible to people with disabilities.

In Commemorating 30 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Activist Lawrence Carter-Long discusses the long history of discrimination and protests that preceded the ADA. Eugenics, a theory of “racial improvement” and “planned breeding,” was coined in 1883 by Francis Galton, but many speculate the concept dates back to ancient Greek society. People with disabilities faced social discrimination and were often institutionalized and had little autonomy over their lives. One of the first protests against disability discrimination took place in New York in 1935 when the League of the Physically Handicapped organized a sit-in, asking for equal rights to employment.

Following this protest, 1500 jobs were created for workers with physical disabilities. Disability rights organizations continued to fight for progress again in 1977 during the 504 Sit-In, where they expressed support for regulations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This legislation would protect the rights of disabled people, but the federal government failed to enforce it. Sit-ins erupted in several major US cities, most notably in San Francisco, where the sit-in lasted 25 days. These protests were also successful; on April 28, 1977, the Carter Administration signed the regulations into law. Section 504 would set the foundation for the ADA, which would later be approved in 1990, following the protests of over 30,000 disability activists and allies expressing their support. The ADA would again pass the torch to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a treaty by the United Nations, signed in 2007.

The disability rights movement has a long, rich history. While activists and organizations have made huge strides in improving the quality of life for people with disabilities, they still face significant discrimination and hardships. Be an ally for disabled people by creating and maintaining inclusive spaces and supporting legislation that protects their rights.

Want to learn more about the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act? Check out these great sources: 

• How the ADA Changed the Built World | Crip Camp | Netflix

• Our fight for disability rights and why we're not done yet | Judith Heumann | TEDxMidAtlantic

Sources:

• The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

• National Human Genome Research Institute

• NowThis News

• Disability Rights Florida

• Doris Zames Fleischer

nu-spotlight:

We’ll be sharing ongoing highlights and updates in this section of the nuwsletter. This month, we are excited to share some of the DEI resources we’ve added or will be adding to our learning journey. 

• Workplace Culture: 5 Key Elements For A Positive Employee Environment - A Forbes article on creating a positive workplace culture

• Why Diversity Programs Fail - A Harvard Business Review article assessing the impact of workplace diversity programs

• NAIDOC History - A timeline of the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by the City of Melbourne, Australia

• Check out some of these local events happening this month and look out for more on our social media accounts!

• July 1 - Feng Shui Monthly Energy Shift Workshop

  • Saturday, July 1, 2023, 12 - 1:30 pm

  • Virtual

  • $10

  • Registration Link

• July 5 - Understanding Personality Disorders Webinar

  • Wednesday, July 5, 2023, 11 am - 12 pm

  • Virtual

  • Free

  • Registration Link

• July 7 - Black Family Business Networking Event

  • Friday, July 7, 2023, 7 pm - 8 pm (Recurring dates and times available on registration link)

  • Virtual

  • FREE/Donations Encouraged

  • Registration Link

• July 8 - Davenport Electric Fest

  • Saturday, July 8, 2023, 12 pm - 5 pm

  • Otter Valley Union HS 2997 Franklin St, Brandon, VT 05733

  • FREE

  • Registration Link

• July 9 - "Come Meet A Black Person" Anti-Racism Series

  • Sunday, July 9, 2023, 3 pm - 5 pm

  • Virtual

  • FREE (add-ons available at additional costs)

  • Registration Link

• July 12 - "Invisible” Disabilities and the ADA Webinar

  • Wednesday, July 12th, 2023, 2 pm - 3:20 pm

  • Virtual

  • Free

  • Registration Link

• July 15 - 2023 Vermont Mad Pride Day March and Celebration

  • Saturday, July 15, 2023, 1 - 4 pm

  • Battery Park, Burlington, Vermont Battery Park Extension Burlington, VT 05401

  • Free

  • Registration Link

• July 15 - Do Good Fest

  • Saturday, July 15, 2023, 1 pm - 10 pm

  • 1 National Life Drive Montpelier, VT 05604

  • FREE / Donations encouraged

  • Registration Link

• July 16 - Faith Ringgold: Jazz Stories Exhibit Last Day

  • Friday, May 19- Sunday, July 16th, 2023

  • BCA Center 135 Church Street Burlington, Vermont

  • Donations encouraged

  • Event Website

• July 23 - Stowe Jewish Film Festival

  • Sunday, July 23rd, 2023, starting at 7 pm (other film showing dates available on the registration link)

  • JCOGS, 1189 Cape Cod Road, Stowe, VT

  • $10 in advance and $15 at the door

  • Registration Link

• July 28 - Queer Dance Party

  • Friday, July 28, 2023, 7 pm

  • Battleboro Museum & Arts Center

  • Free

  • Event Website

• July 29 - BIPOC Outdoor Festival

  • Saturday, July 29, 2023, 9 am - 4 pm

  • Craftsbury Outdoor Center 535 Lost Nation Road Craftsbury, VT 05827

  • (Tickets on Sale June 28)

  • Registration Link

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