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My name is Kathy Martinez. I’m the Assistant Secretary at the Office of Disability Employment
Policy and our mission is to increase employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
I remember before the ADA, when you really didn’t see too many people with disabilities
on the street, and that’s because buildings were not accessible, restaurants for example
didn’t expect you to be customers, in many cases people with disabilities were not welcome.
Now because of 20 years of the ADA there are ramps to buildings, there are Braille in elevators,
there are accessible ATM machines, many things have changed.
The paradigm shift has been that if we change the environment to make it more accessible,
then people with disabilities are much less handicapped.
For me the ADA has meant that there is a greater acceptance of people with disabilities in
society in general. Now it isn’t perfect, we have a long way to go, especially in the
area of employment.
But the fact that people see folks with disabilities out and about in schools, in grocery stores,
in restaurants, in recreational facilities, its not such a big deal as it was 20 years
ago.
The expectations that people with disabilities is changing. We still have a ways to go, but
the fact that people expect me to be a bank customer for example means that the ATMS are
accessible, means that you can get statements in Braille or online accessibly.
For me professionally, I think the way that it has impacted me the most is in the area
of technology.
Information and communications technology has been the great equalizer for people with
disabilities including myself.
I’m Kathy Martinez and this is my story. You can share your story on Disability.gov.