Triumphs of our own – How the TravelAbility Community is Leading Accessibility Innovators in Transforming Travel and Tourism Worldwide.
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Accessibility Champion: Lynn Smith
Chief Marketing Officer, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program
She may not be a magician, but Lynn Smith is making the invisible seen around the world.
Q1. What motivated you to become involved in accessibility and do you have a personal connection to disability?
I firmly believe that everyone, at one time in their lives, will experience a non-visible disability. We all have friends and family who are affected by disabilities and conditions that are not immediately apparent to others, and I want all of them to feel supported and able to thrive to the best of their potential.
Removing the stigma around non-visible disabilities is crucial. It’s about making it easier for people to get the help they need and ensuring they feel valued and included. My passion for equity and social justice drives me to contribute to efforts aimed at creating a world where everyone, regardless of their abilities, feels empowered to participate fully in all aspects of life.
“I firmly believe that everyone, at one time in their lives, will experience a non-visible disability.”
Lynn Smith
Q2. What is the goal of your organization?
Some disabilities, conditions or chronic illnesses are not immediately obvious to others. For some people, this can make it hard to understand and believe that someone with a non-visible condition genuinely needs support. You may be questioned on if you have a disability because you don’t “look like you have a disability.”
That is why we created the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower – to encourage inclusivity, acceptance and understanding.
It is a simple tool for you to share that you have a non-visible disability voluntarily. By wearing the Sunflower, you’re letting everyone know that you might need extra help, understanding, or just more time.
Our goal is simply to improve everyday experiences for people with non-visible disabilities. We do this through the Sunflower symbol which helps make the invisible, visible.
Q3: Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers you face around accessibility and what actions/initiatives are you taking to address them?
Aside from budget limitations, the most challenging obstacles to accessibility include the lack of awareness about disabilities that are not immediately apparent, stigma and discrimination, inflexible policies, and limited resources. To overcome these barriers, initiatives include educational campaigns to raise awareness, advocacy for policy changes, training programs to sensitize businesses and communities, promotion of inclusivity in all sectors, and fostering collaborations with other organizations and advocacy groups. By implementing these strategies, initiatives like the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program aim to create a more accessible and inclusive environment for individuals with hidden disabilities.
Q4. What accomplishments are you most proud of?
One of my proudest accomplishments is being part of an organization that shares my values and is dedicated to making a difference globally. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program operates in 34 countries, with seven offices. I am proud to contribute to its impactful mission. Working alongside such a dedicated team of individuals and being able to play a role in making the world more inclusive and understanding is incredibly rewarding.
Q5: Who do you follow?
In addition to Jake and the TravelAbility team, I look to the following for ideas and inspiration:
The amazing HD Sunflower team
Melody Olander of But You Don’t Look Sick.
Richard Gray from Visit Lauderdale
DFAWG – The Dementia Friendly Airport Workers Group
What Would You Do?
Each month we try to address various accessibility issues that may arise within the TravelAbility community.
July’s scenario: Welcoming a deaf traveler.
A deaf traveler enters your visitor center to ask for information, but the center has no one who can communicate in sign language. What would you do?
Here are some suggestions from TravelAbility community members:
Brett Laiken, VP Marketing, Visit Florida
The simplest way to communicate is by using the Notes function on your phone and typing messages. There are also apps available to download that allow better communication options.
Dr. Josh Loebner, Global Head of Inclusive Design, Wunderman Thompson
Start a notepad conversation with a first question, “Do you read lips, or would you prefer I write down (or use voice to text) what I’m saying?”
Additionally a survey could be conducted among deaf travelers that have visited previously to gain insights into what some of their frequently asked questions were at that venue and those with answers could be populated into a simple one-sheet document to supplement real time conversations. Also, the venue/destination’s website could have curated content for attractions and other locations in the area that are deaf/hard of hearing friendly to have even more info to share in addition to immediate dialogue.
Jennifer Barbee, Co-Founder, Destination Innovate
BeAware app or a transcription app. All front line employees should be trained on tools to assist with accessibility.
Wanda Wayne, Discover Lancaster, Visitors Center Manager
We have had deaf visitors in the center more than a few times. When it becomes known that the visitors are hearing impaired, we generally speak more definitively (the person may be able to read lips); look them in the eye; write things down when needed and refer to written materials.
Muhammed Ruman, User Experience Designer
In this situation, I’d start by using a translation app to communicate with the deaf traveler immediately. I’d also provide written materials and videos in sign language. Long-term, I’d invest in staff training for basic sign language and hire diverse staff.
Disability Mom Responses through Social Media:
Utilize the Language Bank Interpreter Line.
Use Google Live to convert speech to text.
Start by writing everything down, unless there is an additional international language barrier. In that case, use Google Translate.
Check out this guide on how to communicate better with deaf people (from a deaf person)
Here’s last month’s What Would You Do?
Scenario: An Autism Meltdown in your attraction.
Answers: Click here
Up Yours! Up Your Game Around Accessibility, Sustainability, and DE&I at TravelAbility’s EMERGING MARKETS SUMMIT
Through our partnerships with Tourism Diversity Matters, a recognized leader in moving tourism and DE&I to the next level, Leave No Trace, dedicated champions of ecofriendly travel lessening negative impacts to our valuable shorelines and outdoor spaces, and USAE News, the premier news source for associations, hotels and CVBs, the conference will be reconstituted as TravelAbility’s Emerging Markets Summit. Learn about all three growing market segments at one insightful event.
“Accessibility, Sustainability and DE&I have three things in common when it comes to travel,” said Jake Steinman, Founder of TravelAbility and organizer of EMS: “1. They are adjacent niche segments that are growing in importance but it’s not always easy to know where and how to begin. 2. Since they are all complex matters that involve a commitment, it’s important to begin with small steps and iterate from there. For example, Visit Florida began focusing on accessibility three years ago with just a few content elements, today they have over 1000 pieces of content and aspire to be the most accessible state in America. 3. All three segments benefit humanity and unlock an intrinsic goodness in people giving them a fresh sense of pride about the organization they work for.”
TravelAbility is pleased to work with three distinguished organizations that will help guide us to content that will lead to actionable takeaways and spread the word far and wide.
Andrew Leary, who is the Director of Sustainable Tourism and Partnerships, Leave No Trace, commented: “We are thrilled to be partnered with TravelAbility to help foster these crucial sustainability and stewardship conversations at this year’s Emerging Markets Summit.”
Greg DeShields, who is the Executive Director of Tourism Diversity Matters, commented: “As the leader in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, we are dedicated to providing decision makers with access, resources and tactics to develop more effective DEI strategies. The TravelAblity conference is a valuable forum to understand where DEI meets accessibility. By creating awareness of this intersectionality, we can better acknowledge and ground our differences as DE&I is more than policies, programs, or headcounts.”
EMS sessions will focus on actionable topics designed to both raise awareness and provide ideas that stimulate travel activity. For example, one of the DEI sessions will feature a representative from Black Restaurant Weeks, an organization that helps destinations organize dining promotions; as well as a sustainability session about how carbon offset organizations can serve as an amenity for any hotel, airline or other provider interested in helping to address climate change.
Additional news: USAE News, the premier weekly source of news for over 60,000 hotel, CVB, and meeting planner professionals, will be the official media sponsor for this year’s EMS. Ross Heller, Publisher, USAE News: “The Emerging Markets Summit is a ‘must attend’ for destinations looking to learn cutting edge strategies for capturing more of these emerging markets.”
What attendees will learn about accessibility, sustainability and DE&I.
- Getting in the game: How to get started.
- How to up the game you already have.
- How to create a business case should you need to convince the boss.
- How to communicate and reach people most likely to respond to marketing to all three segments.
Early Bird Registration Ends on April 1st. Register Today and Save.
Louisiana Thief Uses Wheelchair as Ruse for Series of Burglaries
An unusual search is underway for a thief who pretends to need a wheelchair, according to the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office in Monroe, Louisiana.
The “person of interest” uses the chair to travel from crime scene to crime scene, officials said in a news release. An out-of-focus photo of the man was shared on Facebook, with a plea for help with an identification. While he was seen using the wheelchair near the burglary scene, the man can walk, the sheriff’s office said. “He was seen walking and running from different vehicles while committing the burglaries.”
To learn more, read the reporting from The Sacramento Bee.
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