The Understood Blog

October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month — a time to recognize the more than 70 million people in the United States who have learning and thinking differences. It’s also a time to share the variety of tools, strategies, and initiatives that can support people on their journey.

July 26th marks the anniversary of a milestone that allows many of us to thrive.

In 2020, unemployment rates for people with disabilities marked the highest in 7 years.

Learning and thinking differences don’t discriminate. They don’t care how rich or how poor you are. They don’t care about your race or ethnicity.

As we begin 2021, Understood is predicting changes ahead for people with learning and thinking differences and disabilities. This is part four of a four-part expert series on our 2021 predictions.

I am 25 and have been disabled my entire life, and will be disabled for the rest of my life. While I can take confident ownership of my identity as a disabled woman, I have yet to take pride in my disability. Pride is difficult to conjure when the stain of ableism colors the reflection I see in the mirror and corrupts the image of the woman I see when I turn my gaze inward.

Many people think of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as something that’s been around since the civil rights movement or before. But actually, it only came into law 30 years ago, in 1990, under President George H.W. Bush.