HELENA — Thirty-four years ago, former president George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act to strengthen the rights of and prohibit discrimination against our disabled communities.
A Helena non-profit that advocates for people with disabilities threw a celebration as a time of reflection and to look towards the future.
Disability Rights Montana's (DRM) mission is "to advocate for the human, legal, and civil rights of Montanans with disabilities through legal representation, advocacy, education, and outreach."
They held the celebration Friday afternoon to connect community members and educate people on advocating for necessary reforms in a welcoming and safe environment.
The CDC reports that roughly "one in four adults in Montana have a disability."
"A lot of people think disability is limited to people who use wheelchairs to get around the community, and that's absolutely included in our community, but so are people with dyslexia, ADHD, people who have cancer...even people who have conditions that are considered disabilities don't identify with the community because they don't realize it's a big, welcoming, embracing community," said DRM executive director David Carlson.
The event included disability advocate speakers, a documentary about sub-minimum wage, voter registration assistance, and outreach from local organizations that could be a resource for people with disabilities.
