“There are laws in place to facilitate equal access that need to be moved forward or corrected so that they can be fully beneficial to everyone.”
Janice Mets
Great strides have been made to help those with disabilities live without stigma. Today, many people with disabilities no longer live in fear that others will judge them as being insufficient workers or students. Still, there’s a lot that needs to be done to make this ever-changing world more accessible to all.
Over the years, the disability rights movement has changed how society looks at individuals that have a mental or physical disability. Special programs have been created to help them enter the workforce, in addition to other accommodations designed to help them succeed in the ‘real world’. Janice Mets, Program Coordinator for the Tartan Tops Program at Sinclair, is one such champion of disability rights.
“When talking about disability rights, we should have equal access no matter what your disability is. No matter the situation, everything should be accessible to everyone,” she said.
“There are laws in place to facilitate equal access that need to be moved forward or corrected so that they can be fully beneficial to everyone.”
Mets is hopeful that such amendments and laws would continue to push what the movement started, namely, making the world freer to the disabled community. Before those major strides were made, many were made to feel unwelcome due to their disability.
“We all have different perspectives and look at things differently through lenses. And the main thing is that everyone is treated equally. Hopefully looking at laws and disability awareness that that’s what we are trying to do to bring awareness to this issue,” Mets added.
Despite awareness being frequently raised, many don’t understand the issues members of the disabled community face every day. Organizations that support disability rights, however, are determined to do the work needed to make the world more accessible for everyone.
Mets added, “All of us want to be able to do our job effectively or be successful at them. If there is something that can be utilized or put in place to help someone else do a better job, that’s what we should be looking for. Creating an equitable chance to succeed because that means we all have a shot at it.”
Kyle Mounce
Intern