We Don't Have to Reinvent Everything
One of the more surprising and fun writing opportunities I had last year was writing for the podcast History Daily. I’ve learned a lot about writing and random history in the process. While sometimes the history I learn is deeply depressing, I often find myself inspired by the stories I learn. One example comes from the episode I wrote on the Americans with Disabilities Act . The Americans with Disabilities Act was finally signed into law in 1990 after decades of activism from people with disabilities. One of those pivotal actions took place in 1977, and it was called the 504 sit-in. The story of the sit-in is also detailed in the beautiful documentary Crip Camp . The 504 sit-in was an effort by disability justice activists to force the Department of Human and Welfare (HEW) to enforce regulations that were part of section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. Without enforcement, people with disabilities were still discriminated against and practically excluded from public life. Over a
