When Board Trustee, Susan Fitzmaurice began leading our ADA30 committee to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, she had no idea what was about to transpire: A Pandemic!
We originally planned to have a few activities leading up to a live event at Detroit’s Eastern Market on September 29, 2020. Although the Covid-19 pandemic forced a change to our original plans, it gave birth to an approach and breadth of ongoing activities that has the potential to have a much greater impact and reach more people.
From July 26 to September 27, 2020 MiAA conducted at least one online ADA related session. These sessions ranged from poetry readings, to lectures, to Friday night dances and films.
To view recordings of the sessions we were allowed to archive, click here.
When the end of our ADA30 sessions finally arrived in the fall of 2020 we came to an amazing realization: WE HAD CREATED A COMMUNITY! Our sessions had attracted people from around the world who would regularly attend the online events. Over the course of the two months many of them had become friends and valued the opportunity to connect with others in the disability community. They decided to form an ongoing community we call I Love You, Lead On (ILY-LO), after the sign-off phrase of the great disability advocate, Justin Dart.
To view the activities of ILY-LO or to join the community click here.