In recognition of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Biden Administration hosted a Disability Pride Month event featuring an entertainer with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). 

Cure SMA and other disability organizations participated in the July 29th White House event to celebrate the accomplishments of the ADA and the unfinished work to ensure all individuals with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of society. The event was attended by senior Administration officials and national disability advocates.

During the event, James Ian, a California-based singer, musician, and actor with SMA Type 3, spoke and sang Spaces, a song he wrote with other individuals with SMA. “I grew up and went to college and law school in the Washington, DC area. It’s a huge honor to perform back home at the White House where the ADA and other important policies have been signed into law,” Ian said. “It’s probably the most excited I’ve felt about a performance.” He added that there is more work to do to promote accessibility and break down barriers, including related to air travel and the financial caps within the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program that “keep people with disabilities in poverty." 

2024 marks the 34th anniversary of the ADA, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. The historic bipartisan law prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities and promoted full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. Cure SMA actively works in Washington DC to fulfill the promise of the ADA by supporting legislation and policies that promote accessibility and break down barriers for individuals with SMA and other disabilities. To learn more about Cure SMA’s advocacy agenda and work, go to https://www.curesma.org/cure-sma-advocacy/.