Insist on equity for the disabled

Thank you, Daily Herald, for long overdue good news: Gov. Pritzker signed an executive order preventing companies working with the state from paying disabled workers a subminimum wage. As a non-disabled person (for now), I had no idea something this unjust was allowed - a friend pointed it out to me. If you are not disabled (over 1 in 4 Americans are) could you imagine how dehumanizing it must be to be paid less than minimum wage? I hope ending this practice forever is a unifying issue that we all can agree on.

A few other related items that need our attention:

It's important not to park in the hashed areas of handicapped spots even for a few minutes - people using wheelchairs cannot use their ramps to get in or out of their vehicles. Access is an enormous issue that goes beyond the parking lot too. If you own a business, please make it ADA compliant.

The phrase, "be poor or die" is a lived reality for our disabled friends. Private long-term health insurance is nonexistent, leaving Medicaid as the only option. Many disabled people need daily personal care attendants for survival. Forced to live below the poverty level to keep lifesaving benefits puts an arbitrary limit on their dreams, livelihood and income. (Society misses out on all they have to offer, too.)

Could you imagine asking to work remotely for decades - being told it's not possible - then a pandemic occurs, and it magically happens overnight for the masses?

Our disabled friends who may be limited by transportation, accessibility or a need to be close to medical equipment deserve to be treated better.

Let's honor our disabled civilians and veterans by insisting on the accessibility and equity we all deserve, but only some enjoy.

Amy Svoboda

Arlington Heights