25 years after ADA: Disability Pride Walk

More than two dozen agencies and organizations participated Monday in the Disability Pride Walk from City Hall to Fountain Square on the 25th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The event was organized to celebrate the accomplishments made in accessibility for those living with disabilities, but also to highlight the limitations of the ADA.

Councilman Kevin Flynn, who spoke at the event, said more can be done by city and state governments.

People gathered in cities across the country, and in Cincinnati, there was even a small group of participants from the International Visitor Leadership Program here to see how the ADA works.

“It’s easier to count the places where you can go than to count the places where you cannot go,” said Oidov Vaanchig of Ulan Bator, Mongolia. He was born with a physical disability that requires the use of crutches or a wheelchair. For his country, this year, too, is the mark of a 25th anniversary – democracy. “As a part of a democracy process is ADA, which is equality.”

Vaanchig, who imports and distributes adaptive technology in his country, counts himself lucky since he’s found a niche to work, despite the lack of laws that make it easy for him to do so. “If you cannot get out of your home or if you cannot get on the bus, you cannot go to school, you cannot go to the movie theater, you cannot socialize, you cannot go to restaurants, you cannot do anything,” he said.

He plans to take what he’s learned about the ADA and its implementation here to Mongolia.