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The Intersection of Travel and Disability

The Arts

Celebrate Autism Awareness Month with My Brother Otto

April 12, 2026 by lkarl

Meg Raby sits indoors holding her children’s book *My Brother Otto*, with multiple copies displayed behind her on shelves and the floor. She faces the camera, clearly presenting the book in a cozy home setting.

Celebrate Autism Awareness Month with a children’s story by our very own Meg Raby of KultureCity.

My Brother Otto

By Meg Raby

My Brother Otto is a picture book following the story of a young crow on the spectrum, and his loving big sister.

Meg shared, “I wrote My Brother Otto, a children’s picture book about an autistic, nonspeaking Crow, for myself. For young Meg.

I wrote it in hopes of highlighting the humanity and need for neurology differences and how it is okay and good and right to ask questions.

How we can look to Otto’s older sister on just how to be curious and inclusive. How we can look to Otto to appreciate the joy he exudes daily while acknowledging some of the challenges he faces. I wrote it for you. No matter your age.”

Buy Here

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Filed Under: Advisory Board, Autism, Neurodiversity, The Arts

Roll Camera on Access: Take2Film Introduces Accessibility to the World’s Top Film Festivals

March 6, 2026 by lkarl

For decades, red carpets and world premieres have symbolized glamour, influence, and access. The question is: access for whom?

Take2Film, a new venture, offers insider access to the world’s most prestigious film festivals, with an emphasis on culture, context, and accessibility for all.

Take2Film is integrating inclusive travel accommodations across its global film festival programs, not as an afterthought, but as a foundation.

Film festivals are meant to be shared. Accessibility isn’t an add-on for us — it’s part of how we design our trips from the start. Everyone deserves the opportunity to experience film culture in a way that feels welcoming, comfortable, and dignified.

Julie Sisk

From The American Pavilion to a Second Act

As founder and director of The American Pavilion, Julie Sisk spent 37 years shaping generations of filmmakers and film lovers at the Cannes Film Festival. Her work extended well beyond France, with programming connected to festivals in Denver, London, Sundance, Toronto, and Venice.

Throughout her tenure, she worked closely with TravelAbility to ensure that participants of all abilities in The American Pavilion’s Worldwide Student Program and Pavilion membership were fully welcomed and included.

Take2Film represents what Sisk calls her “second act”: an opportunity to share her lifelong passion for cinema and the world’s great film festivals with an even broader audience.

Insider Access With Intention

Take2Film is designed for film lovers, culture seekers, and curious travelers who want more than a ticket and a photo op. The company provides guided access to major festivals, insider conversations, curated cultural programming, and thoughtfully designed itineraries that go beyond standard tourism.

But what makes this announcement significant is how accessibility is being operationalized.

Take2Film’s accommodations may include:

  • Step-free lodging options
  • Accessible transportation
  • Advance venue planning
  • Personalized support based on individual needs

The team is working closely with hotel partners and is currently gathering essential details that matter — bed heights, roll-in showers, flooring types, spacing between beds, toilet height, and accommodations for Deaf and blind communities. These efforts follow consultations with accessibility experts at TravelAbility to ensure the information is both meaningful and actionable.

Redefining Cultural Travel

Take2Film’s programs create space for a wider community of travelers to engage with cinema, storytelling, and international culture at some of the world’s most prestigious events, including the Cannes Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival, and the London Film Festival.

By embedding accessibility into the DNA of its trips, Take2Film is challenging a long-standing assumption in cultural travel — that prestige and inclusion rarely intersect.

Experiences once perceived as exclusive are being reimagined to reflect the full spectrum of travelers who want to participate. For film lovers who use wheelchairs, for Deaf travelers who want equal access to screenings and conversations, for blind cinephiles who crave context and culture — this isn’t just a travel announcement. It’s an invitation.

For more information, visit take2film.com.

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Filed Under: Accessibility, Conferences & Events, The Arts, Travel

December 2025 Community News

December 5, 2025 by lkarl

Phoenyx Travels | Traveling During the Government Shutdown: What to Expect

Wander Lust Tours, AdvenChair, GrayTV | Andy’s Adventures: Wanderlust Tours with AdvenChair in Central Oregon

Wonders Within Reach | The Ultimate Wheelchair Accessible Washington, D.C. Guide for Families 

ALMTA, TravelABility | Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association film on accessibility an award-winner at TravelAbility Festival

Be my Eyes | Be My Eyes, Hilton Executives Talk ‘World-First’ Partnership In New Interview

The Palm Beaches | Accessible Bicycling Locations in The Palm Beaches

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Filed Under: Accessibility, Adaptive Sports, Destinations, Technology, The Arts

Discover the Winning Films from the Inaugural TravelAbility Film Festival

November 10, 2025 by lkarl

  • An aerial view of the awards ceremony
  • Jesse Dolin accepting The Oregon Coast Visitor Association grand price award.
    The Oregon Coast Visitor Association wins the grand prize!
  • A man in a power wheelchair sits in the audience at the awards ceremony with a "TavelAbility Film Festival Banner" visible behind him
    John Morris at the awards ceremony
  • Meg Raby Klinghoffer, Jennifer Casey, and Carolina Christian pose on stage as Meg accepts her award.
    Meg Raby Klinghoffer, Jennifer Casey, and Carolina Christian pose on stage as Meg accepts her award.
  • Houston Vandergriff, Jennifer Casey, and Carolina Christian pose on stage as Houston accepts his award.
    Houston Vandergriff, Jennifer Casey, and Carolina Christian pose on stage as Houston accepts his award.

The 2025 TravelAbility Summit introduced exciting new features this year, including the inaugural TravelAbility Film Fest, a creative showcase celebrating the voices and visuals of accessible travel. Designed to highlight storytelling that inspires empathy, understanding, and action, the Film Fest put accessibility in the spotlight, giving filmmakers and destinations a platform to share how they are shaping a more inclusive world.

The festival drew 52 entries from around the globe, including India, Ireland, England, Scotland, Lithuania, South Africa, Canada, and the United States. From immersive destination experiences to innovative accessibility programs, the films captured creativity, purpose, and real-world impact.

Fourteen finalists were selected by a team of screeners and reviewed by a distinguished jury of experts in film, design, and accessibility:

  • Jule Sisk, Founder, The American Pavilion at Cannes Film Festival
  • Josh Loebner, Global Head of Inclusive Design, VML
  • Taylor Miller, Founder, Slamdance Film Festival
  • Monika Skerbelis, Director, Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at Cannes
  • Jennifer Casey, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Gray Television

“Communication about accessibility to create empathy is all about storytelling, and these are examples of excellent storytelling that create empathy, understanding, and connection, taking mindsets from awareness to action,” said TravelAbility Founder and CEO Jake Steinman.

Throughout the Summit, all finalist films were shared between major sessions, giving attendees the chance to experience these stories firsthand. Participants noted that interspersing the films throughout sessions grounded the importance of accessibility in real, lived experiences, creating moments of reflection, inspiration, and motivation. The festival concluded with a celebration of all films and an awards ceremony on Tuesday, October 14, honoring the most impactful stories from around the world.

2025 TravelAbility Film Festival Winners

Grand Prize Winner

  • GLP Films & The Oregon Coast Visitor Association — Accessible, Inclusive Travel on the Oregon Coast

Attractions Category

  • 1st Place — Ximuwu: The First Truly Accessible Safari Lodge
  • 2nd Place — WetWheels: Barrier-Free Boating for Everyone
  • 3rd Place — KultureCity: It’s More Than Just A Bag

Content Creators Category

  • 1st Place — Traveleyes: Share the Adventure
  • 2nd Place — Downs and Towns: THIS is Yuma
  • 3rd place — Vineet Victor: Overcoming Barriers: India and Beyond

Destination Category

  • 1st Place — Travel Alberta: Alberta Adapts
  • 2nd Place — VML and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development: Sound Sites
  • 3rd Place — AMLA: Under the Sun, Moon, & Stars: Accessible North Alabama with Wonders Within Reach
Watch Film Here

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Filed Under: Accessibility, Accessibility Awards, Destinations, Lived Experience, The Arts, Tourism, TravelAbility Summit

Houston Vandergriff Named Official Photographer for the 2025 TravelAbility Summit

September 8, 2025 by lkarl

A smiling man with glasses wearing an orange jacket holds a black camera while standing on a city street. Behind him is a blurred urban scene with historic brick buildings, parked cars, and a typical downtown streetscape.

We’re thrilled to announce that Houston Vandergriff of Downs and Towns has been named the official photographer for the 2025 TravelAbility Summit.

Houston is an award-winning photographer, advocate, traveler, and artist — a talented young man who also happens to have Down syndrome. He has a long history with TravelAbility, from supporting the movement early on, to speaking at the Summit, and joining the advisory board. This next step feels like a natural extension of a partnership built on shared vision and creativity.

Houston has traveled far and wide, capturing the beauty of the world through his lens. We’re excited to see the 2025 Summit through Houston’s eyes.

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Filed Under: Disability Advocates, Neurodiversity, The Arts, Travel, TravelAbility Summit

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