An essential foundation of self-advocacy for youth who will transition to adulthood is an understanding of the history of disability rights as a social and civil rights movement.
People with disabilities constitute the largest minority group in the United States. 1 in 4 adults has a disability. Yet historically, this group has experienced discrimination, stigma, and exclusion. Self-advocates, advocates, and allies for disability civil rights facing today’s challenges need to understand where we started.
Cheryl A. Thesis, MA, Education Advocate, from Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) discusses:
– The changes in attitudes, perceptions, laws, and policies toward people with disabilities
– The social movements, legal advocacy, and resistance that drove them