While the Americans with Disabilities Act has protected the civil rights of people with disabilities since it was signed into law more than three decades ago, advocates said at a recent New York City event marking the act’s 36th anniversary that the landmark legislation is under threat now more than ever before.
Federal rollbacks, attacks on benefits, and a renewed risk of institutionalization show that hard‑won rights can still be taken away, advocates and local leaders said at the event held at Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY) in Manhattan in July. The event drew national, city, state and local lawmakers as well as advocates and members of New York’s disability community.
“It is an important moment to step back to honor and to reflect on the history of that fight for civil rights. Because boy, this is a moment when we need to recommit to it,” said Brad Lander, Democratic candidate for the 10th Congressional district and former city comptroller.
The mood may have been celebratory including a birthday cake with candles for the ADA, but speakers expressed concern over the current and future political climate as protections have already been weakened. Lander proposed that the community take action such as the legendary 504 sit-ins of April,1977. Half a century later, he’s proposing a similar movement for April 2027.
“Let’s all go put our bodies on the line together to defend the legacy of the American Disabilities Act and to stand up for the humanity of every single American. I’ll see you on Capitol Hill or here in New York City or wherever we decide. Together, let’s go out and cause some good trouble,” he said.
Sharon McLennon Wier, CIDNY’s Executive Director, said the disability community is always “out there … rallying.”
“I think it’s really sad that we still have to rally in 2026,” she said. “But what it speaks to is speaks to the fact that disability is something that is not respected, is viewed as a weakness, and we still have to continue to fight for our rights.”
The CIDNY event focused on policies and access from transit design to economic policy. Issues included:
- Disabled New Yorkers remain vastly under‑employed and under‑paid. Advocates pushed for stronger hiring in government and public agencies, internship and fellowship programs for disabled students, and enforcement of nondiscrimination in hiring and pay.
- Transportation and paratransit. Speakers described New York’s transit system as inaccessible with chronic failures in elevators and escalators They called out the Access‑A‑Ride system for its long booking windows, unreliable timing, and rollback of a successful same‑day, on‑demand pilot.
- Housing and the right to remain in the community. Disabled people are overrepresented among tenants living in rental, public, and Section 8 housing, yet many are navigating eviction and housing court with no legal support. They called for funding for legal services, intervention for tenants at risk, and stronger enforcement of accessibility requirements in publicly funded housing.
- New York State Sen. Patricia Fahy, chair of the state’s committee on disabilities, highlighted a wheelchair right‑to‑repair bill would tackle the crisis of people being stranded at home for weeks while waiting for “approved” vendors. She also discussed a “purple alert” system that would ensure that when people with intellectual or developmental disabilities go missing, they receive the same response that Amber Alerts and Silver Alerts provide.