Walk, Talk, and Roll with Athens City Commission on Disabilities on April 19

The Accessibility and Advocacy Committee of the Athens City Commission on Disabilities will host its sixth annual “Walk, Talk, and Roll” on Friday, April 19, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. to review accessibility in Uptown Athens.

The event is co-sponsored by the Ohio University Division of Diversity and Inclusion. The focus will be on issues of accessibility and where improvements have been made.

Commission members will guide participants at 11:30 a.m. from Baker University Center on Court Street to West State Street, and to the Howard Hall Park site at the corner of Union Street and College Street.

The activity will continue at 12:15 p.m. with a short program and refreshments. Participants will include Dr. Micah McCarey, Athens City Council member, disability commissioner and director of OHIO’s Pride Center; Dale Ellis, self-advocate; and Annah Korpi, parent of a child with a developmental disability and a disability commissioner.

All students, faculty, staff and Athens residents are welcome to attend in person or to view the livestream, which will be hosted on the City of Athens Facebook page,  as well as on the city’s Government Channel. ASL interpreting will be provided. If an additional accommodation is needed, or for more information, email disabilitiescommission@ci.athens.oh.us. 

“The goal is to focus on parts of streetscaping that are done well, highlight businesses working to address accessibility, look at ways to improve accessibility in upcoming streetscaping projects and see how the city and businesses would work together,” says Davey McNelly, chairperson of the Commission. Those wishing to attend are encouraged to download Athens City Source, a free smartphone application available for both Apple and Android.