Accessibility Redefined

How accessible are our communities? As an outsider I find it easy enough to walk up stairs, walk across the street, and find the bus I need in order to get home. I do not speak/stand for everyone as I am ONE person out of thousands..millions....billions of people who are all uniquely different in their own ways. If I go about my day absorbed in what I am doing, the world seems pretty great and I can function on autopilot.  It is when we start to acknowledge and embrace diversity that we begin to notice aspects of societal functioning that can be improved upon for the greater community. There are many things about my own community that I have noticed in its accessibility that are both positive and negative. This post is not one to lecture or blame you for the lack of accessibility present today but instead one to educate and encourage you to have a different outlook on the world from a perspective of someone with a disability. Our communities are NOT as accessible as they could be especially for those who have to overcome challenges on a daily basis.

I am a student at Western Washington University and in downtown Bellingham we have automatic crosswalks which are very efficient and easy to use when getting from one place to another. This may seem like an improvement from the manual cross walks where you need to grab a flag and walk across or press a button, but there are additional improvements that could be made to encompass all people of society. Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) have been implemented in many areas and are a great addition to any community. Instead of relying on visual symbols to indicate when it is safe to cross, APS provide audible indications of when to WALK or NOT WALK. APS are inclusive for those who are visually impaired (blind) or deaf, they have the visuals but are also accompanied with sounds. By being an active member in our community we can help those who can't create this change on their own. The disabled population is one that is under served and not often thought about. If we are aware of our surroundings and have those who have disabilities in mind we can take a stand to make their lives a bit easier.

Photo Credit: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/signs/aps/images/cu79.jpg

On a positive note, I am an avid bus rider and rely on them for transportation. By being more socially and physically aware of those who have disabilities, I have noticed many things that I would have otherwise turned an eye to.  The bus station has brail by the different busses and I thought this was so impressive. The best part was I was able to witness a man who was blind successfully find the proper bus, and get on and off without any issues. Simple things like brail at the bus station allow those who are blind to easily function in society and create awareness and inclusion of those who do have a disability. 

I challenge you to start being an active member and recognizing the aspects of our communities that are or are not inclusive/accessible. Identifying these things by themselves won't make a change, but by being aware and talking about these things can be powerful steps in implementing and creating change.

Happy New Year,
Brittney