By Jennifer Allen

TravelAbility’s Accessibility Champions are trailblazers, waymakers, and bold leaders who have transformed destination and brand cultures through inclusion. Honorees have included people like Alison Brooks, who helped create the nation’s first autism-certified city; Tami Reist, who repositioned North Alabama as a destination for all; and Kevin Wright, who led the effort to make his state the first accessibility-certified state. 

This Disability Pride Month, we’re celebrating a different kind of change maker. These are the people who are boldly going, regardless of barriers, and creating a way for others to follow. These disabled travelers are not only showing the disability community what’s possible, but they’re showing destinations where the gaps in accessibility are holding them back, and inspiring them and working with them to pave the way for future visitors.

As a disability mom, I’ve benefited first hand from the change that has taken place in their wake. When I research a destination, it’s their blogs that I turn to. When we experience a barrier-free vacation, I know it’s because one of them has gone before me, raising the awareness to create change. It’s only because disabled people travel that destinations are working to become more accessible. ROI’s become more poignant as trail blazers find a way to go before the going is smooth. In this era in between awareness and change, that travel requires a certain level of bravery and resilience. 

These travelers may not be intentional advocates, but in showing up they’re raising awareness of the needs for all who may follow. Travel may be their only intention, but as they continue to go and explore the world is taking shape around them to better welcome all.

Cory Lee – Wheelchair Travel

It was only weeks after receiving the diagnosis that stated our 15 month old son would never walk again. We were trying to find our way out of a slump by finding our way back into the world. My husband was scouring the internet from the sofa, looking for possibilities for a kid in a wheelchair when he perked up and summoned me to take a look. “Have you seen this Cory Lee guy? He’s been to all seven continents in a wheelchair!” Here we were, wondering if we’d ever be able to hike again, while this guy had already conquered the world in his chair. That was a turning point for us. We went from wondering how we would ever do anything, to figuring out how we could do everything.

Cory Lee is a full time wheelchair user, travel writer, and content creator. After being told he couldn’t have a job because he was in a wheelchair and the job would require travel, he ironically decided to make travel his job. He shares accessibility highlights from his journeys, and he meets with destinations to go over any barriers he experienced and ways to improve.

After working with NYC, Cory Lee pointed out the inconvenience that his only accessible room options required him to share a bed with his caregiver. They listened to his concerns, and when I visited with my children a few years later we were able to find accessible rooms with two beds. This is what progress looks like.

↪Learn more about working with Cory Lee.

Sassy Wyatt – Travel for Blind and Low Vision

Even as a fierce advocate for accessibility and inclusion, I’m aware that I live with the ableist tendencies that come from not knowing any better. 

I didn’t understand why travel was so valuable to a person who can’t see the experience until Sassy Wyatt stood on the TravelAbility Summit stage and graciously explained it to me. I learned how her accessibility barriers are different from mine and that she’s fully aware when people like me are standing around silently, not sure how to interact. When she came off the stage and was finding her way back to her room, I asked if she needed any help, just like she’d taught me from the stage. She took my arm and I followed her pace to lead her to the elevator. When she complimented my guide skills and asked if I had experience, I didn’t know how to tell her that I had never spoken to a person who was blind in real life before that moment. 

Sassy Wyatt’s encouragement goes far beyond giving me the confidence to interact with people who are different from me. She shares her travel experiences on social media, opening eyes to a travel experience that is boldly different from a sighted person’s experience. Reaching travelers with needs like hers, she shows them all that is possible, while working with destinations to raise awareness and improve upon what’s available. As an accessibility consultant, she helps bridge the gap in both the physical and digital worlds.

↪Learn more about working with Sassy Wyatt.

Alex Stratikis – Adventures with Autism

Do people with Autism even want to travel? Alex’s lifestyle screams YES! 

While parents like me are wondering how to navigate changes in schedule and sensory challenges, and destinations are fumbling over how to create spaces that welcome the rapidly growing population of both children and adults with autism, Alex is showing them how it’s done. His writings show why people with autism should travel, and how to do it well. His advocacy takes accessibility beyond a moral obligation that businesses and organizations should be aligning themselves with, to showcase it as the undisputable business opportunity that should not go unnoticed. 

With 66 countries under his belt, Alex is a pioneer in travel with autism as he works to support the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors to improve accessibility and attract neurodivergent travelers.

↪Learn more about working with Alex Stratikis.

The blue stripe in the disability pride flag, representing mental health disabilities, tends to be the most overlooked.

Angie Reagan – Pushing through with Mental Health Disabilities

The blue stripe in the disability pride flag, representing mental health disabilities, tends to be the most overlooked. 

While the travel industry is only beginning to recognize the impact mental health can have on travel, Angie is helping bring those conversations into the spotlight. Traveling with her service dog, Simba, Angie openly shares her experiences navigating a world that is not always understanding or accommodating of invisible disabilities. Too often, people with mental health disabilities face skepticism, barriers, or closed doors. Yet Angie continues to show up, travel, and advocate for others who face the same challenges.

Through Access Tahoe, she brings people together for roundtables, outreach events, and community discussions designed to gather input, share progress, and create practical solutions. Her work empowers individuals, schools, businesses, and organizations to build more inclusive environments in public spaces, workplaces, and everyday interactions.

By sharing both her travels and her personal journey, Angie is helping destinations better understand an often-overlooked segment of the disability community. Her willingness to keep moving forward, even while battling her own depression, is raising awareness, challenging misconceptions, and helping create a more welcoming world for future travelers.

↪Learn how to work with Angie.

Joel Barish – Travel for Deaf and Low Hearing

When destinations talk about accessibility, Deaf travelers are often left out of the conversation. Joel Barish is helping to change that, one adventure at a time.

Having visited more than 108 countries, Joel has made it his mission to experience and share Deaf culture around the world. Through sign language videos and social media, he has introduced thousands of viewers to Deaf communities in every corner of the globe, proving that travel is richer when it includes everyone.

As co-founder of DeafNation, Joel hosts No Barriers with Joel Barish, a travel series that takes viewers along as he explores destinations, samples local cuisine, meets Deaf business owners, and uncovers the stories behind the places he visits. Along the way, Joel works with tourism offices to increase awareness and accessibility for Deaf travelers while highlighting Deaf-owned businesses and accessible experiences.

↪ Learn more about working with Joel Barish.

Growing older doesn’t have to mean staying home.

Jack and Elaine – The Aging Traveler

The travel industry spends a lot of time talking about the future traveler. Jack and Elaine are already showing us who that traveler will be.

As millions of Baby Boomers age into disability, destinations are facing a new reality: travelers who still want adventure but may need more information, more flexibility, and more thoughtful accommodations along the way. Through their platform, Seniors with Latitude, Jack and Elaine are helping both travelers and destinations navigate that transition.

Growing older doesn’t have to mean staying home. Along the way, they share practical guidance on everything from packing and trip preparation to staying safe on the road, giving older adults the confidence to keep exploring. Their partnerships with destinations help highlight what works, identify opportunities for improvement, and demonstrate the growing value of welcoming aging travelers well.

↪Learn more about working with Jack and Elaine.