Transportation is the second biggest barrier to employment for people with disabilities. CIDNY is involved in transportation advocacy and organizing, will current campaigns on improving subway elevator access, curb cuts, and Access-A-Ride.
Tracking Access-a-Ride Problems
CIDNY is working with Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID), Mobilization for Justice (previously MFY Legal Services), and New York Lawyers in the Public Interest (NYLPI) on a special project tracking Access-a-Ride (AAR) problems and providing training on riders’ rights. CIDNY’s community organizer, Shain Anderson, has been tracking problems with AAR. At the beginning, CIDNY’s strategy was to reach out to CIDNY’s participants who have used or are users of AAR in the past to conduct a survey and have a focus group. Through this effort, we have gathered stories that have been used at MTA Board meetings. Now, we are beginning to do outreach in the community to gather more stories by conducting training on AAR users’ rights so they can advocate for themselves, understand how to apply, and to help them continue to share their stories. To get involved, contact Tashia Lerebours, Community Organizer for Access-A-Ride, at tlerebours@cidny.org or (646)368-8031.
Here are additional resources to help you with AAR:
Access-A-Ride Reform Group (AARRG) Participant Training Powerpoint
AARRG How to Apply Factsheet (Spanish) (Chinese)
AARRG Tips for Doctors Factsheet (Spanish) (Chinese)
AARRG Appeal Factsheet (Spanish) (Chinese)
