Twenty-five years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, establishing a legal mandate to end discrimination against people with disabilities. The ADA has been instrumental in advancing civil and human rights across the nation. The University of Washington is committed to doing all we can to increase access and opportunity for people with disabilities — including nearly a million residents in Washington state.
Our community strives to create welcoming and respectful learning environments and to promote equity and fairness for all. We value and honor the diverse experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and abilities of all individuals.
On the occasion of the ADA’s 25th anniversary, we are hosting various events to reaffirm our commitment to and support for improving accessibility and promoting full inclusion, as well as to celebrate and show respect for the contributions people with disabilities make to our campus. We hope these events will also foster pride among students, staff, faculty, family members and visitors with disabilities.
I invite our entire community to attend these events planned for this spring, summer and the 2015–2016 academic year, including:
- Tuesday, May 5, 2015
A special screening of the film “On Beauty“ and discussion with filmmaker Joanna Rudnick
4:30 p.m., HUB Lyceum - Friday, May 8, 2015
Special presentation on deaf history by Dr. M.J. Bienvenu from Gallaudet University
6:30–8:30 p.m., Kane Hall, room 120 - Thursday, May 21, 2015
Access Technology Center Open House: Drop by to learn about the ATC, meet the staff and help celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day! The ATC provides accessibility consultations and demonstrates a wide variety of hardware, software and furniture for users with disabilities.
1–4 p.m., Mary Gates Hall, room 064
Additional events and information will be added to the ADA 25th Anniversary website each quarter.
Thank you for your ongoing efforts to make the University of Washington a place that is welcoming to all.