An event Friday night, July 18, in Springfield will celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act ahead of its 35th anniversary.
The bill was signed on July 26, 1990 and prohibits discrimination against those with disabilities in many areas of public life.
empower: abilities and The Arc of the Ozarks are hosting the ADA Block Party from 5 to 7 Friday evening.
"We have lots of vendors. We'll have some in our parking lot and in The ARC Autism Center's parking lot," said Shelby Butler, director of advocacy and public policy for empower: abilities. "And then, in the street, we'll have a fire truck, a police car, an ambulance. We're going to have some food trucks and then we're going to have a couple of shows."
Vendors were asked to offer an activity that relates to disabilities or the ADA. For instance, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield is planning to offer a tactile activity to share part of their story.
Butler said they hope people have fun while learning more about the ADA.
"What the law offers is so much," she said, "I mean, it's so vast how many protections it really, you know, puts in place for people. So that's what I'm hoping is that people will tie that into advocacy and sharing with who represents them how important it is, even if they don't have a disability at this point in time."
empower: abilities is a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities to live independently through things like home modifications and assistive technology. The organization's project coordinator Afton Harper said the ADA shouldn't be taken for granted.
"As far as disability rights go, I think there's usually an attitude that it's just normal," she said, "and, while it feels normal now, that's not always the case. You constantly have to share perspective, and I know as a person with a disability, I'm constantly educating people about my disability when I'm in public spaces."
Harper said empower: abilities welcomes donations, but they need volunteers as well.
The ADA Block Party is Friday night, July 18, from 5 to 7 outside empower: abilities, 1450 W. Cambridge in Springfield.
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