When President Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act in front of 3,000 people on the White House lawn on July 26, 1990, the event represented an historical benchmark and a milestone in America's commitment to full and equal opportunity for all of its citizens.
The President's emphatic directive on that day—“Let the shameful walls of exclusion finally come tumbling down”—neatly encapsulated the simple yet long overdue message of the ADA: that 43 million Americans with disabilities are full-fledged citizens and reflects a recognition that the surest path to America's continued vitality, strength and vibrancy is through the full realization of the contributions of all of its citizens.
You can help your local Disability Network Michigan (DNM) member CIL by raising funds as an individual IRide Supporter or as a member of an IRide Team. Find the DNM member CIL nearest you by logining on to www.dnmichigan.org.
The Great Lakes Independence Ride (IRide), in its fifth year, is the only fully-inclusive multi-day cycling event in Michigan. People with and without disabilities ride together on a completely accessible cycling trek of more than 240 miles across the state of Michigan.
Hosted by the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living, a non-profit organization dedicated to the success of children, youth, adults, and seniors with disabilities - at home, at school, at work and in the community. IRiders and their supporters and sponsors raise funds to benefit the work of Disability Network Michigan’s 15 Centers for Independent Living (CILs).
Even as we move past the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities, we know there is much work still to be done. The funds raised through IRide will help each Disability Network Michigan member CIL ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity and access to the mainstream of American life.