Olympia proclaims May 18 as Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Olympia City Council signed a proclamation designating May 18, 2023, as Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on Tuesday, May 16.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day was established 12 years ago and aimed to start a conversation about promoting the inclusion of more than one billion people with disabilities and impairments worldwide through digital access.

The proclamation stated that technology allows community members to connect to vital government services through websites, software, mobile devices, and other digital sources. Accessible technology benefits everyone, with digital material reaching a wider audience.

In signing the proclamation, Olympia expressed its commitment "to ensuring equal access, increasing accessibility standards within the city's daily operations, affirming the rights of the persons with disabilities to be contributing members of the community."

Sarah Norton of the State Disability Inclusion Network

According to the Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, approximately 13% of people in Thurston County have one or more disabilities affecting their vision, hearing, cognition, movement, self-care, or independent living.

A recent study done by Experience Olympia and Beyond found that 20% of Thurston County visitors have a disability.

Larry Watkinson, who serves in the city’s Social Justice and Equity Commission, thanked Olympia for its commitment to ensuring equal access for persons with disabilities.

He emphasized the importance of digital accessibility to him, including the city's work of having audio and pedestrian signals, which help build a more inclusive community.

Watkinson said the city was among the few to adopt an ADA transition plan. "It just demonstrates the effort, commitment, and work that has been done. The journey shall continue, and we are here to support that."

Olympia, stated the proclamation, acknowledges obligations required by the state and federal government, and it strives to meet or exceed the requirements for digital technology accessibility and accessibility of public places.

Sarah Norton of the State Disability Inclusion Network reminded the councilmembers that "commitment is about going above and beyond to make a place where everyone can be included and have access to increase their socio-economic advantages to ensure that people can have economic stability."