Air Travel for Passengers With Disabilities
Source: TAMMY DUCKWORTH, & EDWARD J. MARKEY / 9/6/23
When Kwaku Agyeman, a wheelchair agent at D.C.'s Reagan National Airport, first started his job 10 years ago, he was paid only $5.65 per hour, relying on tips to bring his salary up to the minimum wage. In the years since, his working conditions have hardly improved. He's not alone. Workers like Kwaku have seen their wages drop and benefits like health care disappear over the past decade, all while performing essential jobs like transporting baggage, providing food service, and assisting those who use wheelchairs. As a result, this workforce—which is largely comprised by people of color—often experiences short-staffing, high turnover, inadequate equipment, and improper training.
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President-elect Donald Trump said in a new interview that he would consider altering childhood vaccination programs in the United States and questioned whether vaccines cause autism—a widely disproven claim. When asked in an interview for TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year whether he would approve of an end to childhood vaccination programs, Trump said he would have a “big discussion” with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the vaccine skeptic he has tapped to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Gayatri Agnew, head of Walmart’s Accessibility Center of Excellence, said that offering access to Aira is just the company’s latest move to improve the shopping experience for people with disabilities. She cited the recent addition of sensory-friendly shopping hours, making Caroline’s Cart available at every store and expanding Walmart’s adaptive product lines.
Spring travel is a time for relaxation, exploration, and making unforgettable memories. However, for individuals with disabilities, planning a vacation can come with its set of challenges, especially when it comes to finding wheelchair-friendly destinations, accessible accommodations, and transportation options. We’ll help make the process smoother by highlighting top accessible travel destinations for spring travel, along with tips on accommodations and transportation.
Barbie has unveiled two new additions to its expanding range of diverse and inclusive dolls: a blind Barbie and the first Black Barbie with Down syndrome. These dolls are part of Barbie’s 2024 Fashionistas Line, a collection known for its variety, featuring over 175 different skin tones, eye colors, hair textures, body types, disabilities, and fashion styles. This significant step forward showcases Mattel’s commitment to reflecting the world’s diversity and promoting inclusion.
In a decisive move to improve services for the elderly and people with disabilities, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has enacted the Tennessee Disability and Aging Act. This landmark legislation, which garnered unanimous bipartisan support, merges the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD) with the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) to create the new Department of Disability and Aging (DDA).
Georgia is poised to become a notable example in the movement to end the subminimum wage for disabled workers, with a significant legislative effort led by Republicans, a departure from the commonly Democrat-led initiatives in this arena. The state’s recent legislative actions include the passage of a bill by the Georgia House aiming to abolish the practice that allows employers to pay disabled workers less than the minimum wage, affecting some 40,000 individuals across the country. This bill, championed by GOP state Rep. Sharon Cooper alongside bipartisan support, highlights a shift in the political landscape concerning disability rights.
In 2019, Mary Hauff and fellow parents founded the Minnesota Inclusive Higher Education Consortium to advocate for students with intellectual disabilities, like her daughter Jean. Their efforts led to the allocation of $2 million, by the Minnesota Legislature in 2023, for inclusive higher education, ensuring equal access and meaningful credentials for these students.
Juno, the trailblazing company in the U.S. child disability insurance market, has successfully completed an $8.5 million Series A funding round. Led by Spero Ventures and joined by Floating Point, Newark Ventures, and WVV Capital, this funding round increases Juno’s total capital to $12.5 million.
The study indicates that 12.5 million Americans may experience changes in their lung impairment classification. For instance, an additional 430,000 Black people would be diagnosed with moderate to severe COPD, while 1.1 million fewer white patients would receive such diagnoses.
National Siblings Day, celebrated each year on April 10th, is a day set aside to honor the unique relationships between siblings. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the bonds of love, friendship, and the deep connections that develop over a lifetime. For families with a sibling who has a disability, this day carries additional significance, offering a chance to acknowledge the distinctive experiences these relationships bring, as well as the mutual support and understanding that flourishes within them.