Americans with Disabilites Act tour visits Washington
Haley Kimmet,Thomas Olin and Robin Stephens are driving around the country for the ADA Legacy Tour. The ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act, will reach its 25th anniversary July 26, 2015.
Thomas Olin’s photographs depicting important moments in ADA history hang in the TRIPIL center in Washington. Olin visited the center with the ADA Legacy Tour to spread awareness.
The federal Americans with Disabilities Act will mark its 25th anniversary on July 26, 2015. But, as many will argue, there’s still a great deal of work to be done to ensure those living with disabilities are guaranteed the same rights as everyone else.
That’s why Thomas Olin and Robin Stephens, organizers of the ADA Legacy Tour, are traveling throughout the country to raise awareness. Olin and Stephens, who both have disabilities, met in the mid-1980s amidst rallies for equal treatment. Olin, a photographer, captured much of the record of the disabilities rights movement.
“Some folks have always seen the ADA,” Olin said. “They don’t know the history. They might fall into the faults of the past.”
Olin kicked off the tour in July and has already visited numerous states. Stephens joined later. The pair, along with assistant Haley Kimmet, plan to hit all 50 states, finishing in Washington, D.C., for the anniversary celebration.
After a two-day speaking engagement near Lancaster, the trio made sure to stop in Washington, a spot Olin calls a “beacon” for those with disabilities.
“This area has a very active group,” Olin said.
They also stopped by to say hello to their old friend and fellow activist, Kathleen Kleinmann. Kleinmann, the chief executive officer of Tri-County Patriots for Independent Living, said TRIPIL was pleased to host the ADA Legacy Tour. The tour recreational vehicle, covered in old photographers from the movement and wrapped in the American flag, pulled into TRIPIL’s parking lot on Saturday.
“We are so proud the tour has stopped here,” she said. “It’s inspired us to really celebrate next year.”
Olin, Stephens and Kleinmann spent the last few days reminiscing. On Wednesday, they talked about a three-week march from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. Kleinmann said the 90-mile march drew a lot of attention. She hopes the tour reminds people of the importance of the act.
“It’s still a gradual process,” she said. “Public access and transportation are still big issues.”
Transportation concerns were one of the cornerstone issues leading the movement. After the act was signed into law, wheelchair lifts were installed in public transportation vehicles, allowing those with disabilities access to additional independence. The ADA Legacy Tour also toured the country in 2010 for the act’s 20th anniversary.
Daniel Kleinmann, the membership director at TRIPIL, said it’s important to preserve this portion of the past.
“It’s very important to remember these heroes,” Daniel Kleinmann said as he acknowledged Olin and Stephens. “These are the people who pushed things through.”
For more information about the ADA Legacy Tour, visit http://ada25.com.