A Brief History of ADAPT and Who We Are

ADAPT is a national, grassroots disability rights organization that began in Denver, Colorado, in 1983. Its roots go back to 1973, when 19 young people with disabilities incarcerated in nursing homes for most of their lives, moved into their own apartments.

Once they were out in the community, they realized that there were many barriers - inaccessible public transportation, restaurants, stores, and other places.

You can't talk about ADAPT without talking about Wade Blank.

Wade Blank was an activities director in the youth wing of a nursing home called Heritage House. This was the place where the original group that started ADAPT, known as the "Gang of Nineteen", was incarcerated.

Wade's history of working for social justice and social change began long before then, but while at Heritage House, he listened to the dreams of the young folks trapped there, and ultimately helped them to free themselves, and move into the community. They founded Atlantis Community, the second oldest independent living center in the nation, with Wade as its Co-director.

Wade imparted his knowledge of community organizing and activism to the budding activists, and they began the daunting task of fighting for the right to go where everyone else could go.

The "shot heard 'round the world".

One of their first big battles was with the Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver's transportation authority. After countless meetings and negotiations that went nowhere, the group had enough.

On July 5, 1975, the "Gang of Nineteen staged a two-day protest. They blocked off the intersection of Colfax and Broadway, the busiest intersection in downtown Denver, blocking buses with their bodies, and getting out of their wheelchairs and lying in the street.

That was the "shot heard 'round the world", and people with disabilities in other cities wanted to learn how to do direct action to bring about change.

We focus our fight on a few major issues.

ADAPT's original focus was access to public transportation, and access to public places. When the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990, we hearkened back to our roots and began working on legislation for a national attendant services program. Over time, this led to legislation known as the Community Choice Act (HR 1670 and S 683).

Another ADAPT area of focus is affordable, accessible, integrated housing. People with disabilities have been experiencing a housing crisis for years, even decades. We are often forced to live in congregate or segregated settings in unsafe areas. Sometimes, the main barrier to leaving an institutionalization is the lack of accessible, affordable housing.

Today, ADAPT has grown from the "Gang of 19" to a grassroots network of thousands of people with disabilities and our allies.

ADAPT has a core group of 500 people from over 30 states, and sometimes other countries, who participate at each national action, or protest.

We are a diverse group - by disability, politics, gender and orientation. ADAPT members come from every state, and many nations. We have people of every race, ethnicity, and age in our ranks.

There are adults who were literally born into ADAPT who have never missed an action. Children raised in ADAPT are now raising their children to be disability rights activists. Some of us are well into our eighties and still going strong!

ADAPT members are diverse in our ability to communicate and/or use assistive communication, our income (though most of us are at or below poverty level), marital status or arrangement, work experience or former occupation, or inability to work, institutional history, and so much more!

We are a real community, even family, that celebrates births, and the lives of those who have passed on, and celebrates the achievements of each of us, be it personal or systemic. Though we have no bylaws, elected officials, or directors, we have managed to realize many significant achievements.

We have gone from being considered rag-tag "militants", "radicals", and "hippies" to being a powerful force to be reckoned with.

We represent the cutting edge of disability rights and activism, and have gained the respect of many elected officials and other powerful people. Some may not like ADAPT, but they do respect us, and it is much easier to get to the table to help shape policy.

Wade Blank: Memories of a Friend and Mentor

My Journey with ADAPT