People First: Empowering People With Disabilities

This month BloggersUnite is asking bloggers to raise awareness about the struggles people with disabilities face in order to gain access to the same resources and opportunities as those without disabilities. After signing up to participate, I got in touch with my niece who was in an automobile accident last summer, leaving her 12 year old daughter paralyzed from the waist down. I asked her for a little insight into her life now with her daughter, Angel, concerning things that many of us take for granted like easy access to public events/places. What are some of the things she would like to see changed for making life a little more "user friendly" for those in wheelchairs? Here are a few things she brought to my attention:

First: The local amusement and water parks are not equipped for wheelchairs and would leave her daughter as a people watcher while her siblings enjoyed the parks.

Second: Often there is difficulty finding a bathroom stale large enough for the wheelchair. The chair's bulk makes this a cumbersome task and having more room would facilitate the process.

Thirdly: A shortage of handicapped parking areas can make going to the local grocery market a challenge.

Lastly: A night out for a family meal can become awkward due to the lack of space crowding tables together in close quarters presents. Often she gets a "look" when Angel's wheelchair takes up the already limited space and customers have difficulty getting around her. I can imagine how Angel must feel having strangers brush up against her continuously as she is having dinner.

What can we do?

Become aware of structural barriers and advocate for easier wheelchair access such as ramps — not stairs, bigger bathroom stalls to accommodate wheelchairs, more parking and space for those in wheelchairs. Ask restaurants, schools and businesses to make accessibility to their establishments easier for all people.

As individuals we must be mindful about the inconveniences people using wheelchairs face and use a little common sense etiquette. Treat a person's wheelchair with respect as if it were a part of their body. By creating an environment that is less limiting, we honor humanity and all its potential.

Thank you BloggersUnite for making an effort to better educate the public on another important social issue by dedicating this Saturday, July 24, as a day to recognize people with disabilities and act to help eliminate the barriers and discrimination.

And a special thanks to my niece, Carrie, for sharing her experience.