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On the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Syracuse citizens look to the future

Crowd in front of City Hall with Midler Melodies sitting on the right, July 5, 2022.
Emma Murphy
/
WAER
Crowd in front of City Hall with Midler Melodies sitting on the right, July 5, 2022.

A crowd gathered outside of the Syracuse City Hall on Tuesday to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA. While advocates praised the historic legislation, they also looked forward to additional progress.

Downtown streets were filled with song during the anniversary celebration. The Midler Melodies, a group welcoming singers with developmental disabilities, joined advocates and local service providers to celebrate the rights of people with disabilities. Charles Hudson, a student at Onondaga Community College and a home health care aide, said the ADA, which became law in 1990, improved the quality of life for neurodiverse individuals.

“There were many public buildings that were not accessible, things such as bathrooms. The ADA has helped implement accessible features so people with all abilities can live safe and healthy lives,” Hudson said.

But even with the success of the ADA, advocates say people with disabilities still struggle to find good care. State Assemblyman Al Stirpe said this shortage of health aides stems from low wages.

“People who do this work do it because they really want to. You could make three or four more dollars an hour working at Burger King or McDonald's than you could working in any organization working with disabilities,” Stirpe said.

Having more health aides also ensures that people with disabilities have the option to stay at home, which Hudson said is a fundamental right.

“When you’re not able to live in your home, you know your rights of independence have been taken away. We have to make sure the rights of people with disabilities are not being taken away,” Hudson said.

Both Hudson and Stripe say passing The Fair Pay for Home Care Act is a step in the right direction to fix the problem. It would raise the minimum pay for home health workers to nearly $20 an hour from the current $15, but the measure hasn’t yet passed the state Legislature.