Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act

media release: Join us for a film screening and discussion of Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act

June 17, from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m., MMB 215 

This event is hosted by the Disability Resource Group, a city of Madison affinity group, and sponsored by the Department of Civil Rights. 

This is an equity event, talk to your supervisor about attending during work hours. Please bring your lunch.  Light refreshments will be provided. If you have any access needs for this event, contact: RHoyt@cityofmadison.com

Watch the trailer here

About the Film: The PBS film, Change, Not Charity tells the emotional and dramatic story of the decades-long push for equality and accessibility that culminated in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. While curb cuts, ramps at building entrances, and braille on elevator buttons seem commonplace today, they were once the subject of a pitched battle that landed on the steps of Congress. Told through the voices of key participants and witnesses, the film highlights the determined people who literally put their bodies on the line to achieve their goal and change the lives of all Americans. A story of courage and perseverance, the film brings to life one of the great civil rights movements in American history, where ordinary people made their voices heard and Congress responded. A testament to the power of coalition building and bipartisan compromise, the passage of the ADA is a shining example of democracy in action.