disabilities are poor. There is a disproportional amount that are poor. This is not always the case. “There are a great number of people with disabilities with a high share of wealth and when I talk to businesses about accessibilities, I say if you want my money to be your money you better make your shop accessible.” Sometimes change is slow. The City of Toledo just passed an ordinance requiring restaurants and bars to use closed caption when television set are on. The chamber however pushed back on this and did not want to agree to this even though the cost was nothing. It made very little sense to Stuart and to many in the community. In looking at other cities that have a higher level of accessibilities, Stuart points to places like Austin, Texas and Eugene, Oregon as cities that are doing a good job in several areas. Newer cities as well are building out accessibility from the beginning which is far easier and cheaper than retrofi tting older urban areas like New York City. Advocacy is a key pillar to The Ability Center’s mission. Besides individual advocacy, public and government advocacy plays a signifi cant role in the work of The Ability Center staff. The staff assists private and public partners in their efforts to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), fair housing, Medicare, and other disability rights legislation. Partnerships are critical to the success of The Ability Center. Metroparks Toledo and their effort to work with ACT to solve accessibility issues throughout the park system is one example of a successful partnership. “I was at the ribbon cutting for the Maumee River Walk. That project is fantastic. They provided a huge swath of pavement which makes it wheelchair accessible as well as removal of the river bank growth so that the view is unencumbered.” Another example is how the incredible staff at Metroparks worked to set up an inclusive tree climbing event where anyone who wanted to could have a tree climbing experience. You cannot change a city or attitude if you don’t have community partners. The Ability Center is fortunate to have a lot of them. Whether it is the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Zoo & Aquarium, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Imagination Station, the partners here are key to The Ability Center's goal of making Toledo one of the most disability-friendly cities in America. Socialization through recreation is another concept at The Ability Center encouraging people to participate in outdoor and indoor activities. Besides the park program, The Ability Center is working with schools and other facilities to create sports leagues and venues for wheelchair basketball and hockey, as well as lacrosse which is a sport Stuart played and coached. The Ability Center will continue to expand the work with the homeless through the Cherry Street Mission, and Toledo Streets. “The homeless represent one segment of our community and if you are on the street we have to help you because you More often than not, we see the world in absolutes. All or nothing, good or bad, true or false - things we consistently reinforce to ourselves and others. We are born into a culture and how we perceive it is entirely up to us. It began in January 2020, The Ability Center announced its audacious goal to become the most disability-friendly community in the country. This movement sparked thoughtful conversations and initiatives from community partners invested in becoming more inclusive. The Re-Launch: With fresh leadership and a new perspective, it was announced in July 2022, the second chapter of the campaign was here. A box crafted with branded items was delivered to members of the media and community partners as an invitation to the event at Glass City Metropark. The Message: Challenging people to think differently about disability and what people with disabilities think about themselves – a lawyer you hired who is in a wheelchair, a family with a child at a Metropark with a sensory disability, your accountant who is hearing impaired. Public spaces and community activities will naturally become accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities when we think differently about what’s possible for them. The Reason: Toledo’s physical spaces have a long way to go to be determined as “completely accessible.” We are confi dent the second chapter of the campaign, Think Differently Then ACT!, will naturally bridge authentic conversations and make accessibility and inclusion top of mind for business owners, community members, and regional government. Continued on Page 11 are like a family. We just have to fi gure out how to make that happen and I don’t think we have an answer yet.” Think Differently Then ACT!, the next chapter of the Disability-Friendly Movement. Page 9
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