07/29/2022 | Press release | Archived content
The Americans with Disabilities Act passed thirty two years ago on July 26th, 1900. In honor of this achievement, we are examining how the fields of accessibility, advocacy, and the arts intersect.
There are two ways to think about the intersection of these subjects:
This brief introduction to the subject will discuss how to engage in advocacy as individuals, organizations, and institutions.
What is Advocacy?
Advocacy can be defined as "the act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support" (Source). Many people think of advocacy as lobbying but many different kinds of action fall under the definition of advocacy. Advocacy can include: organizing, educating the general public, educating legislators, organizing rallies, litigation, lobbying, and more.
Advocating for Accessibility
There are many ways people can advocate for accessibility as an individual, including advocating for new laws that protect the rights of people with disabilities or advocating for organizations to comply with existing laws. We do first want to acknowledge that often compliance requires individuals with disabilities to take legal action, which not everyone can do. The onus shouldn't be on the people with disabilities to make that shift. It is important that people with and without disabilities work together to make positive changes that go beyond mere 'compliance'.
Riva Lehrer, an artist who lives with spina bifida, described her experience with advocacy work:
"The problem with disability advocacy means not just getting people to do attitudinal shifts, but to literally make structural shifts-putting aside money for building accessibility, presentations, for ASL [American Sign Language] and whatever other accommodations are needed," Lehrer said. "It would be great if it was just about getting people to perceive differently but you're asking for a lot more if you're really asking for equity." (Source)
There is a lot of work to do to reach equity. If oppression comes from external forces, then positive change comes from the inside out. The path to liberation starts with undoing internalized oppression, then making changes in interpersonal relationships. After that, change happens at the institutional level until finally the change is so pervasive that our culture's ideology has shifted. A larger version of the diagram can be viewed here.
How Individuals Can Advocate for Accessibility Through Art & Other Mediums
The arts have a long history of being at the forefront of a variety of advocacy movements. The arts share messages in creative, compelling, and memorable ways. These pieces often educate people, cultivate empathy, raise awareness, and spark dialogue. Any kind of art can be mobilized to advocate for any group or cause to the public and key decision-makers. (For historic examples of advocacy through art, check out the New York Times article The 25 Most Influential Works of American Protest Art Since World War II.)
When creating art/works to advocate for accessibility, think through the following questions:
How Organizations Can Advocate for Accessibility
In addition to raising awareness, educating people, and following accessibility best practices, organizations can advocate for accessibility on a state-wide or national level. There are four different kinds of advocacy activities that nonprofit organizations can engage in: education, advocacy, lobbying, and electioneering. Americans for the Arts has an excellent guide on Education, Advocacy & Lobbying: 501(c)(3) Rules of the Roadthat clearly explains the rules and guidelines around these. For example, did you know that charitable nonprofits may spend up to 25% of their total allowable lobbying expenditures on grassroots lobbying?
We also recommend checking out the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies' practical guide to Advocacy vs. Lobbying. While this resource focuses on arts advocacy, the same rules generally apply to nonprofits engaged in any kind of advocacy.
Advocacy can also occur at the organizational level. Share information about accessibility with your colleagues, start discussions about how to go farther than just 'compliance', and implement best practices with your colleagues. If you want to assess your current accessibility, Access Galleryoffers ADA site surveys and has recently started working with organizations on website accessibility.
Ways to Get Involved
If you want to get involved with accessibility advocacy in Colorado, we highly recommend reaching out to the following organizations:
Continue the Conversation
CCI's Accessibility Corner is hosting a panel discussion on this subject on Monday, August 15th 2022 from 1:30 - 2:30 pm (MDT). We're honored to feature the following panelists: Dawn Russell (Atlantis Community Inc. and ADAPT), Kayln Heffernan (Wheelchair Sports Camp), and Josh Miller (IDEAS xLab). Sign up for the Accessibility, Advocacy, and the Arts Webinartoday!