Debbie Austin

This September had each of us doing our own double-takes at the Double Take fashion show hosted by Aritzia, the biotechnology company Genentech, Open Style Lab (OSL) and the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) community. This first-of-its-kind fashion show featured members of the community looking sharp as they modeled adaptive clothing designs created for them by OSL fellows. With models including Shane and Hannah Burcaw, a husband-and-wife social influencer duo, singer and coder Tabi Haly, and fashion entrepreneur Laura Watson, Double Take’s point is to not only showcase stylish, functional, adaptive clothing but to also create a new and more inclusive fashion industry. Read more.

Recently, Regina Kline, Founder of Enable Ventures and SmartJob LLC, announced the launching of a Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action, “Closing the Disability Wealth Gap Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, for the Moonshot Disability Accelerator Initiative.

Supported by Enable Ventures, SmartJob, and the Clinton Global Initiative, this initiative will provide support for ten global accelerators working with early-stage entrepreneurs innovating at the intersection of disability, entrepreneurship, and technology to prepare them for investment. The Moonshot Disability Accelerator Initiative is an unrivaled step toward truly supporting a global marketplace for innovators with disabilities and those working with people with disabilities to create new technologies to improve the human experience. Read more.

When it comes to travel, those with disabilities are no different than the rest of the population: They want to get out and go. And far too often, hotels, airplanes, ships and destinations come up short in being able to adequately accommodate their needs.

But the travel industry is takings steps, some small and some bold, to make itself more inclusive to people with mobility, hearing and vision limitations as well as autism and other disabilities.

In this two-part series, Travel Weekly looked at some of the ways travel companies are attempting to be more inclusive while also confronting their limitations. Read more.

VisitAble, a startup based in Central Virginia has recently partnered with Richmond Region Tourism to make the region more inclusive for visitors of all abilities.

To achieve this local businesses and organizations will be provided free disability inclusion and awareness education programs. The process includes training 80% of staff on disability etiquette and inclusion, an accessibility test for public-facing locations, a mystery guest experience from an individual with a disability, a report with feedback and advice from VisitAble and the mystery guest(s), and a website listing on VisitAble’s database of accessibility information.

Once the process has been completed, hospitality partners will receive an Advocate+Certification sticker for their door or window, a digital badge for use on their website and recognition on Richmond Region Tourism’s website.

Slots for participation are limited. For those interested, apply through the link provided in the article.

In this two-part series, Travel Weekly looked at some of the ways travel companies are attempting to be more inclusive while also confronting their limitations. Read more.

Travelers searching for barrier-free travel can now enjoy a plethora of options in Germany, with the European country prioritizing, and widely investing in, accessible leisure and tourism facilities. A definite win for those looking for additional accessible travel locations.

The German National Tourism Board recognized the gaps in accessibility within their cultural and touristic experiences and began their work with policymakers, accommodation providers and site management to develop these new offerings. Changes included: the introduction of building ramps to historical sites, ensuring braille and audio descriptive text was available, widening corridors, creating disabled parking and toilets and more.

Now, those that could only dream of visiting locations such as the Bavarian Forest National Park, Castle Evenburg or the Volcanic Eifel Thermal Bath in Bad Bertrich, Rhineland-Palatinate, can join in and experience Germany’s culture and history alongside other venue-goers. Read more.