In the April issue of ABLE NEWS, Loreen Loonie, SVP of Marketing & Communications at Independence Care System (ICS), offers a firsthand account of the physical and logistical barriers disability advocates face traveling to Albany. Her article, “The Long and Winding Road that Leads Disability Advocates to Albany,” documents a grueling 16-hour advocacy day that underscores just how inaccessible civic participation can be for wheelchair users.

“The accessible route is a long, narrow, winding sidewalk to the back of the building,” Loonie writes. She details how delays, inaccessible restrooms, and the disappearance of key services like Amtrak’s wheelchair lift turn a simple trip into a major ordeal. Still, advocates like Nancy Lawler, Christy Cruz-Colón, and Esteban Santos persevere to speak directly with lawmakers.

These efforts center around bills like S1918 and funding for specialized health homes. “Will it be enough to push S1918 forward? Only time will tell,” Loonie concludes.

Read the full article here.:
See the full April edition.