Aug
2
Written by:
tylerm
8/2/2010 7:55 AM
Disability. Most people think of the word and cringe. For those with a disability, society sometimes makes you so aware of it that you tend to focus more on the disability itself rather than on what you are capable of doing. That is why I personally have been able to benefit fully from the laws that the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) provides. Before coming onboard with ILRC, I knew nothing about the ADA. The important thing about the ADA is it's broken down so it's easy to understand. In coming to know about what it offers and stands for, it has given me hope to be able to start over with the confidence that I
can successfully move forward. I can't change the past so there's no need to cry over spilled milk.
People look at your disability as a handicap as if you lack the ability to function. They sometimes view it as a negative focusing on inabilities and stereotyping you. What the ADA does is grant you the dignity of believing in yourself so that you can flourish in so many areas. It focuses on your individual capacity because no two people are the same. It also serves as protection- especially since as individuals with disabilities- we may be vulnerable to receive false hope and false leads.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that the economy is bad and unemployment rates are at an all-time high. With the ADA, we are given a chance to prove ourselves and not be judged or screened out due to whatever hardships our disability has bestowed upon us. Our impairments are not who we are and neither are they what we are. In some cases, it doesn't take away our gift unless we allow it to. In cases where it does, we are allowed to explore different alternatives. (If you can't reach for the stars at least enjoy the trip in space!) It's so easy to be discouraged and to be made to feel that we are insufficient.
Sometimes our skills may need to be sharpened and we may not know where to go to for help, but through ILRC, I've been trained on what accommodations I can receive through the ADA. I feel not only comfortable in obtaining my employment goal but I also feel confident. To me, the ADA means a clean slate; a chance to allow my impairment to be a stepping stone instead of a road block. It shows me that I don't have to settle for what's given to me but I can go out and get what I want and need without asking for a handout. I'm so thankful that this has been provided for the benefit of those who need it. It makes me feel safe and as I mentioned before, it dignifies a person. My disability has humbled me and made a better person helping me to further my skills as a more adequate employee. Although I may need accommodations to do the task at hand, I know how and where I can go for that assistance. I don't feel belittled or degraded because with the help of the ADA, I'm being looked at as a human being and not an invalid person.