pixabay.com
pixabay.com
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Gov. Bruce Rauner and several other state agencies celebrated the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 20, according to a press release.
The agencies gathered at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago for the event, which included an art exhibit, performances by people with disabilities, information workshops and exhibits. The public was invited to attend the free celebration.
"At IDHS we are committed to a simple motto that many know well, ‘treating people the way we wish to be treated,'" IDHS Secretary James Dimas said in a statement. "On July 20 we commemorate and celebrate a living doctrine that does just that."
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner
| governor.illinois.gov
For his part, Rauner signed a proclamation declaring July 20, 2017, "Americans with Disabilities Act Day."
ADA is civil rights legislation that outlaws discrimination against people with disabilities throughout public and private places open to the general public. The last version of the act was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush.
“The Americans with Disabilities Act has been empowering individuals with disabilities to be treated the way we all wish to be treated by enabling them to reach their employment, education, and independent living goals for 27 years," Dimas said in the statement.
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