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What the Northeast ADA Center Means to Me—LaWanda Cook

LaWanda H. Cook July 29, 2024

More than three decades after its passage in 1990, there is still considerable confusion about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Having a resource for well-researched, thoughtful interpretation about if and how the law is likely to apply in specific situations is essential. As a person with a disability, practitioner, and researcher, I have learned so much about the ADA since joining the Northeast ADA Center staff in 2010. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the training, technical assistance, and other resources we provide.

I frequently come across misinformation about the ADA in disability groups on social media, and in the responses given by advice columnists from whom people with disabilities and family members seek guidance. While there is much that members of disability community can teach nondisabled people and each other, there can be confusion about what the law requires versus what some think it should require. Similarly, while advice columnists may offer pithy recommendations for dealing with life challenges, they are not reliable resources for information about the ADA. To me, the Northeast ADA Center is a trusted source for information about the ADA and the inclusion of people with disabilities.