On July 26, 1990, flanked by Evan Kemp, Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Justin Dart, Chairman of the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Rev. Harold Wilke, and Sandra Parrino, Chairperson of the National Council on Disability, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is the most comprehensive civil rights law ever for people with disabilities.
On August 9, 1990, a group of local service providers and advocates met at the Greenhouse Café in Minot with the purpose of developing an Independent Living Center in Minot. At that meeting, they decided to call the center “Creative Opportunities Resource Center for Independent Living.”
Just over a year later, the doors opened at the renamed Independence, Inc. a Center for Independent Living. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the ADA and the 20th anniversary of Independence, Inc., will offer a collection of essays and stories posted here over the next few weeks.
These writings provide a small snapshot illustrating the impact of this landmark legislation and our Center for Independent Living.
We hope that you will enjoy reading them and that you will develop and understanding of the impact of the ADA and of Independence, Inc.
