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Proclamation Declaring the Month of October 2015, as Disability Awareness Month and Commemorating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 25th Anniversary.
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WHEREAS, July 26, 2015 marked the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the City of Alameda recognizes the month of October as National Disability Awareness Month; and
WHEREAS, On July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the ADA into law to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, the ADA established a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities and as a civil rights law, to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else; and
WHEREAS, Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals with disabilities to live independently, enjoy self-determination, make choices, contribute to society, and participate in the economic, political, social, cultural, and educational mainstream of American society; and
WHEREAS, Disability Awareness Month affirms the progress the City of Alameda has made in improving employment opportunities, government services, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications for those with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, Disability Awareness Month also recognizes that there is still work to be done to remove barriers, whether physical or social, that unreasonably prevent the full participation of Americans with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, the City Council established the first committee to provide an enhanced public forum to address local disability issues in 1974; and
WHEREAS, the Alameda Municipal Code was amended in 2004 to establish the Commission on Disability Issues; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Commission on Disability Issues is advise City Council, City Departments, and other Boards and Commissions on issues pertaining to the disability community in the City of Alameda. The Commission addresses a broad range of issues affecting the lives of people with disabilities and advises city officials on actions they can take to achieve an environment in which people with disabilities have equal access to programs, housing, facilities and services. To support the integration and participation of persons with disabilities, the Commission on Disability Issues works to foster attitudes and promote behaviors that respect and value people with disabilities throughout the community.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Trish Herrera Spencer, Mayor of the City of Alameda, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2015, as Disability Awareness Month in the City of Alameda and urge all residents to also join me in commemorating the ADA’s 25th Anniversary.
Trish Herrera Spencer
Mayor