TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

John Morris

Splish-Splash! Beach Wheelchairs Truly Make Oregon Beach “Free For Everyone”

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A close-up view of Haystock Rock and its resident tufted puffins are now accessible to wheelchair users, thanks to new beach wheelchairs in Cannon Beach, Oregon. The city’s long, sandy coastline is among the most beautiful in the state.

Visitors can rent the beach wheelchairs for free, checking them out from the nearby police station. Officers will keep watch over the visitor’s personal mobility equipment, which is safely stored inside the station.

“It’s making our beach, which is free for everyone, free for everyone,” said Pooka Rice, the outreach coordinator for the Haystock Rock Awareness Program in Cannon Beach.

OUR TAKE: Cannon Beach is the latest city to make an investment in beach accessibility, and its new beach wheelchairs will make it possible for disabled visitors and residents to enjoy the sun and sand!

For the full text of the local news report, see the original article.

Could Changing Tables Soon Be Coming to a Rest Stop Near You?

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Adult changing table mounted on bathroom wall.

Two teenage brothers from Kentucky – Josh and Jacob Line – came up with the concept of Angel Mats, changing areas outfitted with a changing table and privacy curtain to help families traveling with disabled children.

They have reached out to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, with the hope that Kentucky will be the first U.S. state to provide Angel Mats at interstate rest areas. Ultimately, they’d like to see their idea implemented across the country.

“It provides privacy for kids that are dependent and can’t use the bathroom per se and it’s basically to help them travel as a whole,” said Josh.

OUR TAKE: Having a safe place for families and caregivers to provide assistance to disabled people with toileting is a critical component of accessibility, and it’s exciting to see young people raising awareness on this issue. Disabled children age into adulthood, and we hope the State of Kentucky will be inspired to provide changing tables in each of its rest areas.

To read more about the brothers’ advocacy efforts, read this article from FOX 19.

Crip Camp Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary

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Crip Camp movie poster.

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution is a 2020 documentary film that follows a number of prominent disability rights activists, beginning with their participation in 1971 at Camp Jened, a summer camp for teens with disabilities.

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020, where it won the Audience Award. In March 2020, Crip Camp was released on Netflix and received substantial praise from both disabled and nondisabled people. In 2021, the film was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Documentary Feature.

In the short (7 minutes) video below, CBS Sunday Morning takes a look at the film, the campers and the disability rights movement:

The 93rd Academy Awards will be broadcast at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 25, 2021 on ABC. While earning a nomination is an incredible honor, we do hope that Crip Camp and the film’s entire team including Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder will be able to take home the Oscar.

Amtrak Settles Lawsuit Over Discrimination

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Amtrak train parked at train station.

The U.S. Department of Justice has reached an agreement with Amtrak over complaints about a lack of accessibility at many of its stations. Under the agreement, Amtrak will bring accessibility to at least 135 stations, 90 of which must be completed within the next 10 years.

Amtrak has also agreed to compensate individuals who were previously harmed by a lack of station accessibility, establishing a fund of $2.25 million for that purpose.

“Passengers with disabilities have waited long enough. [The settlement] is a historic victory for individuals with disabilities, Amtrak, the rule of law, and the promise of equal opportunity for all Americans,” said Eric Dreiband, assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, in a press release.

OUR TAKE: Improved accessibility on the Amtrak passenger rail system is a victory not only for disabled travelers, but for the destinations that Amtrak serves. With the number of disabled travelers continuing to rise, accessible Amtrak services can bring curious travelers of all abilities to new stations and stops across the country.

To read more about the Amtrak settlement, click here.

Former TravelAbility 2019 Speaker Profiled by Inclusion Hub

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Headshot of Will Butler, smiling, wearing blue glasses and a grey floral shirt

Will Butler, Vice President of Community at Be My Eyes and a 2019 TravelAbility Summit speaker, was recently profiled in an article on Inclusion Hub. Be My Eyes is a mobile application that connects blind and low-vision users with sighted people who can offer support, whether it’s describing an event, reading a document or helping navigate an unfamiliar space.

Butler, who was declared legally blind at 19 and who previously worked for Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, is passionate about his work at Be My Eyes.

In speaking with Inclusion Hub, Butler commented on his own experience accepting his blindness and the journey toward becoming an active member in the community. To read more about Will’s interesting journey, click here.