In the fall of 1981, when I was 17-years old, I dived into an above-ground swimming pool that was not well lit or marked for depth. I injured my spinal cord (C5 - C6) and became disabled. It wasn't until 12 years later that I first identified as a person with a disability. Fighting for passage of the ADA and focusing on my college education were the catalysts for me to steer my life in the direction that I wanted to take it.

Board President Jan Campbell answered some of our questions about her life before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the changes brought about by this landmark civil rights law. Jan’s advice to young people with disabilities today is this: Never give up, be motivated by a challenge, and be a strong advocate for yourself as well as for others. Together, we will succeed.

When Liam was nine-years old, his elementary school class made plans to build a garden. Liam uses a wheelchair and wouldn't be able to go into the garden. He could only go around it from the outside. His school thought this made the garden accessible. Liam disagreed. Liam advocated for a new pathway through the garden: A Figure 8 paved path that runs through the middle of the garden.

When Jeff was 18, he was a member of our local Boy Scouts troop. Around 2001, he wanted to go to an overnight backpacking camp in Colorado with his troop. Jeff's local troop was supportive of him going, but the Council told Jeff that he could not go, because of his disability. Jeff and his family advocated and won because of the ADA.