Ramped Up

The Americans with Disabilities Act - signed into law in 1990 - was referred to as the Emancipation Proclamation for Ame... (more)

The Americans with Disabilities Act - signed into law in 1990 - was referred to as the Emancipation Proclamation for Americans with disabilities. But because the government mostly lacks the power to ensure the law is followed, people with disabilities bear the primary burden of its enforcement through lawsuits. Defendants of these lawsuits say that the law is far too technical for business owners to keep up with, which leads to abuse. RAMPED UP addresses the pitfalls of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the politics and money that are stilled tied up with accessibility in America.. The film follows two people with disabilities. Robert Kalani has filed about 60 lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Lee Ky's family-owned donut shop, which she manages from her wheelchair, got sued under the ADA. While both Kalani and Ky recognize the gaps in accessibility in the U.S., they each have diametrically opposing views on how to remedy inaccessibility. Ky believes business owners like herself should receive notice and time to make necessary improvements before they can be sued, while Kalani believes that the owners have no excuse to not already be compliant with the law. (less)