CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues, a group that works on disability issues in Charleston, is looking for more people to join so they can continue their work.
The group gives a voice to people with disabilities and those who can make a difference.
The committee meets monthly, but the past three meetings have not had a quorum in attendance due to extenuating circumstances.
While the group has worked hard to make changes throughout the city, Janet Schumacher, Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator for the City of Charleston, said there is still a lot of work to be done and she hopes more people will join the committee and help make changes.
Schumacher said he hopes the committee will be made up of people with disabilities of all kinds who live or frequent the city of Charleston. All disabilities are welcome.
Schumacher said some of the problems they frequently face include sidewalk curbs that don’t have “curb cuts” that allow people to step up to the curb without a step, tree roots causing uneven sidewalks, a lack of accessible parking and construction that makes roads impassable.
She said they have been able to make some changes through the committee and have responded to direct requests from people with disabilities to improve public transportation accessibility, but there is still much more to be done.
“I feel really blessed to be a part of the disability community in Charleston. We’ve really made a lot of progress, but it’s not rapid progress. It’s taken more than a few decades. But I think we’re getting there. I’m very happy to see the changes that have been made. Of course, there’s still a lot to be done, but we’ve made some changes,” Schumacher said.
She also said a big benefit of being on the committee is that she can tell the city directly what issues she is experiencing with accessibility in Charleston.
She said people don’t have to be disabled to serve on the committee, but it’s nice for city staff to be able to hear directly from affected communities.
Her hope is that one day the whole community will come together to understand what is needed to be ADA compliant and solve these issues so the committee won’t be necessary. But for now, they need more members to continue making these changes. She hopes people will be encouraged to apply.
“I encourage people to get involved with the committee and have a say. There’s a saying in disability advocacy world: ‘You can’t talk about us without us,’ so I always encourage anyone who can get involved to do so,” Schumacher says. “My hope for the future of the committee is that once everyone else understands what it takes to be ADA compliant, the committee won’t be necessary.”
The Mayor’s Committee on Disability Issues will hold its next monthly meeting on Friday at the Gaillard Centre, 2 George Street.
Schumacher said one of the main focuses of discussions will be plans for an ADA celebration to be held at Park Circle in July, and they are working with other disability rights groups and organizations representing people with disabilities.
She says spreading awareness about people with disabilities and seeing people who are successfully presenting themselves to the world is very important and an encouragement to people with disabilities.
Friday’s meeting will take place from 4-5pm and is open to the public. Anyone interested in participating but unable to attend in person can join via Zoom, linked here.
If you would like to join the committee, you can apply here.
Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.