If you’re in a wheelchair, or use a cane or walker, or even just have a more temporary injury, it can truly be a challenge to get from point A to point B. That’s why I formed my new Accessibility Task Force, composed of stakeholders and advocates who will address access issues in transit and urban design for disabled and senior New Yorkers as they navigate the city.
We held the first meeting of the task force today and it will meet regularly in the months to come.
My office’s recent report [1] on barriers to access in the subway system is but one example of the issues that government should address. The Accessibility Task Force’s job will be to develop a complete ‘punch list’ and shine a light on these issues.
Watch task force member Susan Scheer talk at my State of the Borough event about the struggles disabled people face:
Members of the Task Force include (list in formation):
- Jaclyn Okin Barhey, Disability Rights Attorney
- Mariette Bates, CUNY SPS (@cunysps [2])
- Barbara Bookman, CUNY Leads (@The_Booker [3])
- Michelle Caiola, Disability Rights Advocates (@michellecaiola [4])
- Jaqi Cohen, NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign (@jaqicohen [5])
- Marco Damiani, AHRC (@AHRCNYC [6])
- Susan Dooha, CIDNY (@sdooha1 [7])
- Barbara Glassman, IncludeNYC (@glassmanBA [8])
- Arlene Goldsmith, New Alternatives for Children (@arlenegoldsmit1 [9])
- Karen Gourgey, Advocate
- Ruth Lowenkron, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (@NYLPI [10])
- Nancy Miller, Visions (@visionsvcb [11])
- Edith Prentiss, Advocate
- John Raskin, Riders Alliance (@ridersny [12])
- Bill Reed, Baruch CCVIP (@ccvip [13])
- Jean Ryan, Disabled in Action (@DIA_NewYork [14])
- Susan Scheer, Institute for Career Development (@sscheer5 [15])
- Maura Sweeney, Lighthouse Guild (@lighthousegld [16])
- Kim Sweet, Advocates for Children (@AFCNewYork [17])
- Dick Traum, Achilles International (@achillesintl [18])
- Alex Truesdell, Adaptive Design Association (@AdaptiveDesign [19])
- James Weisman, United Spinal Association (@UnitedSpinal [20])
- Colin Wright, TransitCenter (@cbw623 [21])