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Photo Credit: JudithHeumann.com
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We lost an amazing disability rights activist and leader this month. Throughout her life, Judith "Judy" Heumann has significantly improved the quality of life for people with disabilities. Judy became disabled after contracting Polio in 1949 at the age of 2- six years before the Polio vaccine would become available. Some of her most recognizable achievements include helping to develop and implement Section 504 law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She was also a founding member of the Berkely Center for Independent Living which sparked another movement for disability rights.
More recently, Judy was featured in the award-winning Oscar nominated documentary, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution released in 2020. That same year, her memoir, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist was published.
May Judy's legacy live on, and may we all continue to push for equity and inclusion for all.
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Access Trax Founder Interviewed for Ability Magazine
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Kelly recently had the opportunity to chat with actor Tobias Forrest about her journey with Access Trax. Kelly explains her experience growing up as the daughter of a woman with a disability and how that shaped her to be who she is today. Check out the full interview by clicking the link below!
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LA Abilities Expo THIS WEEKEND March 10-12
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Check out the possibilities at the LA Abilities Expo
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The Abilities Expo is a great place to check out accessibility products and resources, meet new people, and participate in the various workshops. For example, you can climb the adaptive rock wall, watch the Rollettes dance, and play at the Sports Zone hosted by Angel City Sports! Special shout out to our friends from TruFit- Adaptive Fitness (booth #1012), the Rollettes (booth #349), Airbnb (booth #813), the Kelly Brush Foundation (booth #1010), MobilityWorks (booth #609), and the Triumph Foundation (booth #356).
If you'll be there on Saturday afternoon, let us know if you'd like to say hello! Kelly will be there walking around after 12:30pm. The expo opens at 11am Fri-Sun.
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Dare 2 Tri Helps Make Tritonman Event Inclusive
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A few years ago, Access Trax first had the honor of working with a Chicago-based nonprofit called Dare2Tri. The organization aims to enhance the lives of individuals with physical disabilities and visual impairments by building confidence, community, health and wellness through swimming, biking, and running. The group hosts Paratriathlon training camps and also helps advocate for inclusion at Triathlons around the US.
Dare2Tri purchased their own set of Access Trax for their programs a few years ago, and has been an amazing community partner. Last month, Dare2Tri athletes traveled all the way to San Diego to compete in the Tritonman race at Fiesta Island. As the team coordinated with the race director, they realized that much of the course would not be fully accessible. That's when they reached out to Access Trax for help. With our rental inventory, we were able to help make much more of the course accessible on short notice.
Using this race as an example, we can continue to work together to advocate for Triathlons around the nation to make their races more inclusive and increase competitive opportunities for para triathletes. Sometimes even the smallest change can improve accessibility. In many cases, a tool like Access Trax can help fill a need and remove physical barriers to participation. Thank you, Dare2Tri for your work and for allowing us to play a small part! See you at the USA Triathlon National Championships in Long Beach!
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Para Surfing Shortlisted for Addition at LA28 Games
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The Paralympic Committee has announced in the end of January that both para climbing and para surfing are shortlisted to be potentially added to the LA28 Paralympics. A record 33 sports were vying for spots at the Games, and only 22 slots are officially accepted each competition. So how can any additional sports be added now? The IPC grants LA28 (a separate committee) the chance to add climbing and/or surfing to the program. If LA28 chooses to do so, a final decision of acceptance still lies within the control of the IPC and they will make a final decision by the end of 2023. That would give potential competitors 5 years to prepare for the world event!
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Kelly Presents at Harvard
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In February, Kelly traveled to Boston to share her social impact startup knowledge and experiences with students. The specific class, CE11 StudioLab, is within the Lemann Program on Creativity and Entrepreneurship at Harvard. She was invited to present advice on transitioning from a student to a social impact CEO, and how to win grant money. Kelly enjoys encouraging students and is also happy to be a mentor for the spring semester, providing 1:1 support.
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Wheel The World Announces Accessible Booking Guarantee
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A global accessible travel booking platform, Wheel The World has over 160 destinations with detailed accessibility info to choose from. You can book places to stay, things to do, and multi-day trips.
If you've ever tried to reserve an accessible hotel room, you've unfortunately probably also heard the disappointing news that upon arrival, you are not given the accessible room you specifically asked for. This is a major flaw in the travel industry that Wheel The World is trying to help solve. If you book with them, they guarantee you get the accessible room or your money back! Check out their website by clicking the button below.
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Access Trax Works with University of San Diego Students on Project
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Scaling a social impact startup as a "solopreneur" can be very challenging. All at once, you're managing supply chain, customer service, marketing, sales, and prepping and shipping orders. One of the extremely helpful resources Kelly has sought out is working with students at local universities on specific projects. The mutually beneficial partnership provides students with real-world experience and gives the business assistance that can translate to long-term growth.
Access Trax has been fortunate to collaborate with multiple classes at the University of San Diego for topics ranging from international market expansion to social impact reporting. We are excited to continue the relationship and encourage other small businesses to consider working with local students as well!
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Triumph Foundation Wheelchair Sports Festival April 29-30
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The annual Triumph Foundation Wheelchair Sports Festival is coming April 29 & 30th to the Santa Clarita, CA Sports Complex! The weekend event hosts 13+ sports and activities including basketball, handcycling, scuba, archery and dance! To learn more and register, click the link below.
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Access Trax Review- Dare2Tri
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"I highly recommend Access Trax for adaptive sports organizations, vendors who are looking to make their events more accessible, or the general public. The product is extremely durable, lightweight and super easy to use. Thank you Kelly and the team at Access Trax for everything! We look forward to working with you for many years to come!"
-Dan Tun, Dare2Tri Co-Founder & Program Director
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Do you need Access Trax for your upcoming adventures or events? Don't wait until a few weeks before you need your Trax to order for the spring and summer- due to continued supply chain lead times, we may sell out intermittently and don't want you to miss out. Typically, orders under 50 mats can ship within a few business days. Those larger orders take more time to manufacture and prep for shipping. Our CEO Kelly personally preps and ships each order with care!
Planning to rent Access Trax for an event any time this year? Rentals are first come-first served and we book up quickly. Reach out today to let us know your needs and we are happy to work with you!
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AbleVu Makes Finding Accessible Businesses Easy
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AbleVu is an online database making it easy for people with accessibility considerations to search for businesses using filters for their needs. It also makes it easy for businesses to upload the information including photos and even an optional virtual tour. Their slogan "Know Before You Go" helps underscore the fact that when businesses prioritize sharing information and making their facilities inclusive, more people will visit.
A few of the features visitors can search for include wheelchair accessible entrance, dairy-free food options, availability of a quiet space, and family restrooms. To search for places already on the platform, you can click on the map (please note, they are still adding locations from their old database daily so check back soon). You can also recommend a business add their information to AbleVu directly on the website.
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