Lois Curtis is a Black disability activist and artist best known for her role as a plaintiff in the Olmstead vs L.C. Supreme Court Case establishing the right of people with disabilities to live independently.
On June 22, 1999, the Court ruled that unjustified segregation of people with disabilities violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and that it was, therefore, unconstitutional for Curtis to be forced to remain in an institution when she was capable of living in the community.
The Olmstead case, as it is now known, paved the way for thousands of people with disabilities to live in communities. It also required public entities to provide community-based services under certain circumstances.
For more information on Lois' story and other advocates for people with disabilities within the black community...Please visit https://www.centerforlearnerequity.org/