Solutions Marketing Group

Providing clients with innovative strategies that position them to understand, penetrate and retain the disability market.

Smooth Sailing

By Joan Leotta

Photo of Oasis of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, it’s largest ship, which has 46 accessible rooms.

Royal Caribbean International, one of the brands of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., has recently revealed a sweeping new program to make family vacations that meet the needs of all family members, including those on the autism spectrum, a reality. The cruise line has the certification of being “Autism Friendly.” Royal Caribbean has been working toward this goal for many years, wanting to go beyond compliance with the law to truly serve passengers with disabilities of all types.

Ron Pettit, Manager of Access Compliance says, “As a brand we have learned to offer modifications of many activities to make the cruise experience fun for the entire family. Since 2007 we have worked to develop products and services for guests with autism. We were certified as the first Autism Friendly cruise line in February 2014. We now have many products and services to meet the needs of guests with autism and other disabilities – developmental and physical. We are a family cruise brand, known for multi-generational cruises. Even before we focused on autism we already had many programs offering accommodations for passengers with visual, hearing and mobility needs. For example, there are “relief areas” for people with service dogs, large print menus, amplified phones and sign language interpreters. We have boarding assistance, accessible staterooms with wider doors and grab bars. Every one of the 22 ships in our line, Royal Caribbean International, has designated accessible rooms, a total of 487 in all ships combined. Our largest, Oasis of the Seas, has 46.”

Certification

The February 2014 certification was awarded by Autism on the Seas (AotS), a Connecticut–based organization that is a Developmental Disability Service Supplier to the Cruise Industry as a whole. Awarding certification status to the entire line of Royal Caribbean International ships is based on their meeting seven criteria, including training for staff, offering programs and dining area options that meet the needs of families with an autism spectrum member and more.

Mike Sobbell, Founder and President of Autism on the Seas, has stated that awarding the certification to Royal Caribbean marked a “turning point” in the travel and cruise industry toward the effective accommodation of families impacted by autism.

Doing Good Makes Good Business Sense

“Accessibility is about accommodating all disabilities,” says Pettit who adds many of the company’s executives were very supportive of the program and helped with the development of the special programs for passengers with autism.”  We received increased input in our reports to our contact centers for activities to support people with autism and other developmental disabilities. As a result, we began to pay extra attention and the program plans began,” says Pettit. He adds, “When the idea first came up, it was a very simple concept. We saw several land based hotels and theaters that made their products and services autism friendly and we wanted to replicate that same kind of success and awareness to the Royal Caribbean International brand.”

Some of the most supportive executives were Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Executive Vice President of Operations, Royal Caribbean International, Vicki Freed, Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support and Service, Royal Caribbean International and Carlos Leyva, Vice President of Trade Support and Services, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Pettit notes, “The entire company is behind this. Many autism communities have tweeted and posted their support for this effort.” He adds, “This is a growing market. According to our data, one of every 68 children in the United States alone has been diagnosed with autism, which translates to approximately two million people. When you add the family members that brings the total up to about ten million people, a very large market. And much of it may be new business. Many families with children with autism might not even have taken vacations or thought about cruising, as a family, before our program came to their attention. On our cruises parents can choose from a list of tailored activities designed to make the cruise experience appealing for the whole family.”

Specific Types of Activities Offered

Pettit says, “We offer many elements like priority boarding, gluten free meals (and meals that are dairy free), and accommodations in the Adventure Ocean Programs.” The company’s Adventure Ocean and Teen Program caters to guests under 18 years old.  There are six tiers of programming for these younger guests, with all programs being led by college-accredited counselors. The activities are offered from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., which provides parents with a great break to enjoy their holiday.  The activities are grouped by ability, and not strictly age. Examples of one of the specific program refinements, which may appeal to families, are films are presented in an environment with low lighting and volume. Guests are also able to freely talk and walk around during the films. Movies are offered on all autism group cruises and cruises when there are at least five children with a disability onboard. Pettit noted that the movie sessions were beta tested on Oasis of the Seas in 2013 and got great results.

The full range of activities offered can be found at www.RoyalCaribbena.com/AutismFriendly.  The dates and times of these activities will be highlighted in the Cruise Compass Program.

“The young passengers with autism are not in a separate section.  They are integrated into the programs we have, and our staff has been trained to provide a wonderful experience for the child, and his/her family.  We have already been very successful accommodating passengers with disabilities.  The Autism Friendly certification builds on our success. We recognize that a family with a child with a disability is on duty 24/7 so it is extra nice for the parents to be able to participate in activities with their child, but also be able to have a dinner by themselves.

Pettit says, “Many of the things we do every day are all complimentary, with no additional charge for families and their loved ones who have disabilities. The one thing we do not have is additional staff to serve guests with autism who are over the age of 18. There are group cruises that often offer additional staff that may be right for these families to use.”   Pettit says these companies who offer group cruises with extra staff often work with the cruise line (see below).

Training and Planning are Key

Royal Caribbean is one of the first cruise lines to offer training for travel agents. “Over eighty percent of our cruises are booked with travel agents and we tell our agents about the accessible options through a series of webinars called the University of WOW including a course on their autism-friendly program in their on-line training program/.. We developed this program and are making an effort to communicate to the public to let them know that this option is here. We already are doing many of the things that the certification required and so we wanted to get recognition for our efforts,” says Pettit.

He adds, “We continue to progress. Right now we are at the bronze level of certification and that means we have it all in place and the next level, the silver level, includes training of our Adventure Ocean staff in awareness. We plan to finish that by the end of this year.  Adventure Ocean staff will have advanced training, next year and the last training is a hands-on for youth staff and a few other select groups. Training will be very specific.”

The Future

When Pettit was asked if the company was finished with its over-the-top accessibility features, the answer was a resounding ‘NO.” With the next tier of certification to accomplish, and additional training for staff, the company aimed to have this all completed by end of 2014. He added, “As we launched our initiative, we saw all the wonderful and positive feedback from our guests and the autism community. One in particular stood out to me:

“I just want to thank you for your efforts to become an expert in dealing with autistic children. My wife and I have adopted several children with special needs, most on the Autism spectrum and this is truly an amazing thing. Thank you so much for this as a dad.” – James D.

Additional Resources

For more information about the program, prospective guests can contact Royal Caribbean’s Access Department at (866) 592-7225 or send an e-mail to special_needs@rccl.com. Learn more about Royal Caribbean’s committment to accessibility at www.RoyalCaribbean.com/AccessibleSeas.

A sampling of travel services that work with RCL:

“Fit Is Our Superpower”: JCPenney

By Joan Leotta

What does it take to make an item of clothing feel like a good fit? Whether your priorities are comfort, shape, or style, clothes that fit make you feel good about yourself. For more than 100 years, JCPenney has been striving to serve customers who have a wide variety of sizes, incomes, and body types. The company’s most recent advertising campaign is a salute to the value of shoppers with disabilities and otherwise unconventional bodies: the promise of a good fit for everyone.

“Love Your Selfies”

In conjunction with a Today Show special series, earlier this year JCPenney unveiled to the world a set of mannequins that were based on atypical body types. Among the real people used as models for the mannequins are Dawna Callahan, a wheelchair athlete who monoskis and has completed the Boston Marathon three times; little person Ricardo Gil, and Neil Duncan, an Army veteran who lost his legs while serving in Afghanistan. The other inspirations for the mannequins are plus-size model Beth Ridgeway and Desiree Hunter, a 6-foot-1½-inch college basketball player.

The “Love Your Selfies” Today Show promotion, which aired in February, was envisioned as a celebration of self-esteem. Kate Coultas, a JCPenney spokesperson, says, “When we saw the Today Show segment in their ‘Love Your Selfies’ promotion, we jumped at the chance to showcase the mannequins at our Manhattan Mall store.”

Mannequin Power

Debra Berman, JCPenney’s Senior Vice President for Marketing, says, “We know we are in the self-esteem business” as purveyors of clothing. “It’s important to recognize this.” She adds, “we love the challenge” of fitting people of various sizes and shapes with varied budgets. We also love the statement that these mannequins make and felt this would provide a tremendous opportunity to emotionally connect to our customers.”

Colorado-based Fusion Specialties, the creator of the mannequins, has been a longtime vendor to JCPenney. Their website proclaims, “Mannequins are not just for display. They are a touch point, a split-second opportunity to connect to consumers on an emotional level.” The company’s promise to clothing retailers is to “capture your customer’s attention and personify your brand.”

Apart from the wide exposure on the Today Show, the JCPenney mannequins were already captivating thousands. “Our store in Manhattan Mall in Herald Square serves an enormous customer base that includes local residents, commuters, business travelers, and tourists,” Berman explains. “The store is directly accessible from two of Manhattan’s busiest public transportation terminals—the 34th Street-Herald Square subway station and the 33rd Street PATH train station.” A city of 8.4 million people offers the JCPenney display a great potential for exposure. “In fact,” Berman continues, “more than 250,000 people pass through these terminals daily! Showcasing these mannequins at our Manhattan Mall store provides a perfect opportunity to reach thousands of consumers with our fit philosophy.”

Recognizing the value of its customers with disabilities and other non-standard body types highlights JCPenney’s commitment to promoting positive body images. The latest figures available from InternetRetailer.com indicate that by the end of 2007, there were more than 50 million shoppers with disabilities as identified by the US census Bureau, with an aggregated income of more than 220 billion in discretionary funds.

“We celebrate the diversity of America and hope this display will help lead to greater acceptance and celebration of all kinds of bodies, shapes and sizes,” Berman says. “So far the customer response has been extremely positive.”

“When it fits…”

The mannequin campaign continues a century-old tradition of customer satisfaction and is embodied in JCPenney’s tagline: “When it fits, you feel it.” Explains Berman, “This mannequin display really brings our fit commitment to life. For more than a century, we’ve been a leader in fitting the diversity of America.”

JCPenney strives to appeal not just to customers’ pocketbooks or even aesthetics, but to their hearts as well. “As a company founded on the Golden Rule,” of doing unto others, Coultas explains, “we believe in taking care of each and every person as you would want done unto yourself. We respect what our customers seek, which is why we are dedicated to fitting every shape, size, color, wallet, style and occasion.”

Where as some companies seem to cultivate a certain unattainable ‘look’ by showcasing only thin and perfect mannequins and models, JCPenney has a different philosophy. “It’s about fitting our customers,” Berman maintains, “rather than expecting our customers to fit us. The right fit is emotionally powerful and gives our customers the confidence they seek to put their best foot forward. We’re in the esteem-building business, committed to helping each and every customer find the fit that fits them best—the fit that allows them to feel golden in their own skin. We celebrate the uniqueness of our customers.”

Beyond the Display

While the mannequins may not be on display in Manhattan for much longer, JCPenney continues to serve as a catalyst in its commitment to serving customers with disabilities. On August 1, JCPenney’s home office in Plano, Texas hosted a back-to-school fashion show for spina bifida patients from local Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. All of the young runway models are part of the Dallas Hospital’s Successful Bridges program, which assists 14- to 18-year-old teens with spina bifida in building self-esteem and independence. Along with a donation to the hospital, JCPenney’s production, merchants, salon, and Sephora inside JCPenney teams donated their time and talents to host the fashion show and treated each teen to a stylish back-to-school look.

These celebrations of diversity are part of the corporate philosophy for JCPenney. Marketing SVP Berman sees the mannequin display as “the right opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to fit.” But beyond that, it’s part of JCPenney’s mission to help customers find the right clothing and accessories that help them feel good about themselves.“We want every individual to recognize their value,” she says. “Fit is our superpower.”

Form Follows Function: Embrace Possibility — IZ Adaptive update

IZ Adaptive LogoThe word “fashion” often conjures up images of runways and of models with perfect bodies. Izzy Camillieri, owner and designer of IZ Adaptive, left that world to turn her talents to making clothing for people with disabilities. In doing so, she has reimagined the field of clothing design, putting function first while also celebrating form. Her innovative designs, which combine traditional patterns with the needs of her clients, are being honored in a six-month exhibit at the Textile Galleries of the Royal Ontario Museum.

IZ Adaptive has progressed considerably since SMG first featured the company in December 2011. Izzy relates that, since that time, her website and Toronto store “have continuously added new items to the line, expanding new offerings for both men and women.” Improvements have come through being attentive and persistently trying new things. “The learning is continuous,” says Izzy, “listening to the needs of my clients.” She listens to their pocketbooks as well. “We see our line as mid-range in price.”

It’s no surprise that Izzy’s business has grown in the past few years, providing as it does a unique line of clothing to be best enjoyed from a wheelchair. “Knowing how underserved this market has been,” Izzy relates, “inspires us to make the best choices for our customers and business.” She is always on the qui vive for new materials and designs, seeking better ways to meet client needs. Says Izzy, “Our commitment continuously deepens each and every day.”

Dr. Alexandra Palmer, the Nora E. Vaughan Fashion Costume Senior Curator in the ROM’s World Cultures department, serves as curator for IZ Adaptive’s ROM exhibit. Palmer notes that she was motivated to collaborate on the fashion showcase because “Izzy’s perspective on clothing is radically different.
“Everyone looks at fashion, the creation of clothing, in a vertical way,” Palmer explains. “How the clothing will look on a standing person. Izzy thinks about how it will look and feel when the wearer is sitting or lying down.”

A Natural Fit

Palmer first learned of Izzy’s work by browsing her Toronto boutique. “I walked into her store in the Junction section of Toronto just to see the new shop,” Palmer relates.  Palmer says she was particularly struck by the similarity in what was done historically with patterns to what  Izzy is doing now. A fashion historian, Palmer not only specializes in trousers but also teaches a class on their history. She soon realized that Izzy’s fashiona designs and the Textile Galleries of the ROM would be a natural fit.

3 women in wheel chairs sitting around a table conversing wearing IZ Adaptive designs

Palmer characterizes Izzy’s work as “very important,” even “transformative.” Why? Her emphasis is on creating designs that make customers feel good about themselves, not just prioritizing ease of medical access or emphasizing caregiver assistance for dressing.

“She tries to solve physical function issues with the clothes while producing fashionable items,” Palmer notes, “and the result is her line of very clever clothes. They look nice. But while they may not seem not extraordinary, they are extraordinary.”

The IZ Adaptive line has not gone unnoticed by the fashion community, either. “Izzy has been called ‘Canada’s most PC (Perfectly Cut) fashion designer’ for good reason,” Palmer relates. “She has broken new ground by designing and creating pieces for maximum comfort, ease, and style for those who have traditionally had difficulty finding clothing that is affordable and that fits.”

While accessibility advancements have been made for people with disabilities in many areas, the need for adaptive clothing had been largely overlooked until Izzy’s line made its debut. Since off-the-rack clothing is worn sitting down or standing up, designers before Izzy didn’t consider the impact of sitting as a person’s only position in the way clothes hang on the body.

For example, Palmer notes the case of a young man who uses a wheelchair but who has to travel quite a bit for business. Before purchasing trousers from IZ Adaptive, he had to worry about his trousers bunching up or falling down whenever he transferred to an airplane seat. Now, he reports, can travel in comfort, without worrying about his trousers falling to his ankles.

With a designer’s steady eye for fashion and trends, Izzy incorporates the latest colors, quality fabrics, and durable materials as she shapes her designs. “We are constantly listening, learning and inspired by the needs and desires of our clients,” she says. “Details of easier closures and ease of dressing are always top of my mind.”

Her website is full of testimonials from people with disabilities who have found her products comfortable, practical, and fun to wear. SMG’s own CEO Carmen Jones is a particular fan of the IZ adaptive coats. Izzy comments, “Our pants and coats are our most frequently purchased items.” Although children’s styles are unavailable as of yet, Izzy notes that “as soon as they are teenagers, they can fit into our smaller adult sizes.”

Striking a Pose

The shop in Toronto, the IZ Adaptive website, and the museum exhibit all display Izzy’s designs on fiberglass “Mannequals” that show how the clothing looks from a seated position. An innovation in the world of fashion, the “Mannequal” was the focus of an national advertising campaign in England four years ago. It was designed by artist, activist, and model Sophie Morgan. A paraplegic after a 2003 car accident, Morgan has continued with a career, often bringing disability issues to the foreground in her role as BBC television presenter. You can learn more about the “Mannequal” at www.mannequal.co.uk or on Sophie Morgan’s own site at www.sophiemorgan.com.

Once customers see designs at IZ Adaptive that they like, they can follow detailed directions on how to measure for and order the items. Izzy notes that, while she does have a physical location in Toronto, “our location is not really a store but a showroom where we serve our clients. All of our samples are there for clients to order from. We have not needed the space to expand.”

3 men in wheel chairs playing basketball wearing IZ Adaptive designs

Izzy credits an enhanced web presence, new images of actual clients modeling the collection, videos about the history of the line, and videos highlighting the features of the clothing all with contributing to an increase in sales. Social media, bloggers, mailing lists, and mainstream marketing efforts help as well. She notes that IZ adaptive has been actively working with organizations to help spread the word about the clothing line.

She is also implementing good old-fashioned low shipping fees. “We have just introduced free shipping for orders over $100 in North America,” Izzy reports, “and a $30 flat fee for orders over $150 for international orders.” While most of IZ Adaptive’s sales come from the United States, customers in Canada and Australia make up a sizable portion of her shoppers as well.

Future of the Line

The ROM exhibit, called Fashion Follows Form, runs until the end of 2014 and spotlights the unique and innovative features of the collection. As a point of comparison, 18th and 19th century clothing designed for sitting will be featured as well. Izzy says, “The exhibit will also feature some of my past high-end fashion design work, to show and demonstrate my background and roots.”
Palmer adds, “We hope this exhibition inspires visitors to think about the role fashion plays in our daily lives as well as the historical relationship between fashion and function.”

Izzy says, “We want wheelchair users, their families, and caregivers to know that our line of clothing is a better alternative to mainstream, standing-frame cut clothing. These clothes are easier to put on, save time while dressing, and make dressing easier for both wearer and dresser. Our line allows for all-day comfort, without style being sacrificed. I often explain that the line is secondary to what it delivers in terms of dignity, sense of self, inclusion, and peace of mind.”

AXS Map: Making the Trip Easier

By Joan Leotta

GPS technology has worked wonders to help people lay out paths to new locations, but for those with impaired mobility, navigating those paths can be an exercise in overcoming unknown obstacles. For Jason DaSilva, problems with stairways, broken sidewalks and narrow or step-up entries began to mount with his diagnosis of MS in 2005. But rather than just accept these impediments, he created AXS (pronounced “access”) Map, a mobile app that allows users to locate truly accessible venues around town, find ways to get there and read reviews that rate the accessibility of neighborhood businesses.

Development of the Project

Axs Map LogoLike many people with mobility issues, DaSilva did not set out to take action that would make a difference to anyone—not even himself. “My first response [to everyday obstacles] was to try to simply go on,” he says. But when he fell in the sand on a family vacation in 2006, ignoring his MS was no longer an option. He turned to his mother for solace; she gave him something better: a challenge. She told him that he was privileged and talented and needed to do something about these difficulties.

This call to action sparked DaSilva’s creativity. A graduate of Vancouver’s prestigious Emily Carr University of Art + Design, DaSilva had already won awards for his films. Having observed firsthand the problems to be encountered while trying to get around using a walker, wheelchair or scooter, he soon envisioned a mapping device to let people with disabilities find the easiest routes to get around within a city and the location of accessible entrances to buildings. “It was 2007 when I got the idea for the mapping,” he says, “but the how of the project came later.” Getting others to share in the desirability of producing such a commodity was his next step.

In the meantime, DaSilva continued to receive awards for his total body of work, including films on Canadian television stations, HBO, PBS, CBC and Sundance. In 2008, he received an “Emerging Innovator” recognition at the Canada New Media Awards.

To apply his filmmaking skills to the problem of mobility, DaSilva, his wife Alice Cook and others including animator Mihai Wilson joined together to make a documentary. DaSilva served as the director and also as the main character, exploring his vision and highlighting the need for a mapping system. The resulting film “When I Walk” came out in 2009 and became the springboard for AXS Maps.

From Film to App

The film’s success spilled over into publicity for the mapping system, raising its profile enough to attract funding. “The film made the need for such a mapping apparent and helped people realize it was practical to devise such a system,” says DaSilva. “It was not until ‘When I Walk’ was finished that people realized the practicality of doing what I wanted with the mapping. In addition, the film highlights the mobility struggle of people with disabilities in ways that will hopefully provoke dialogue in every community where it is viewed.”

In 2011 DaSilva received a grant from Google Earth Outreach and some other foundations to build a prototype of the AXS Map, working with, among others, app developer Kevin Bluer. “We use Google Earth technology,” DaSilva explains, “to create something that can be put on the mobile telephone for both Android and Apple models.

Bluer and DaSilva first pitched the project, which they called “Maps for Good,” at the prestigious Google I/O conference. In June 2012, DaSilva partnered with AXS Lab, an organization dedicated to telling stories of disability through film, new media and technology, and renamed the app AXS Maps. Further work on the mapping app will include a new feature that enables users to upload photographs when sharing feedback.

The awards bestowed upon the film have continued to raise awareness of the app, which is free to use. The film and its maker were invited to show at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in 2013, where “When I Walk” was very favorably reviewed. (It had not been entered in any of the competitions.) In competition at the Vancouver Film Festival later that same year, the film won “Best Canadian Feature, Hot Docs 2013.” People who want to bring the film to their communities or find out where it is showing can go to the website www.wheniwalk.com.

DaSilva hopes that AXS Map will provide those with disabilities greater freedom and spontaneity when navigating their communities and making everyday decisions. “I want AXS Map to serves as a tool to connect a growing network of like-minded people who support inclusive neighborhood practices and policies,” he says.

Accessibility in Motion

By Joan Leotta

What’s in a symbol? If it’s the existing accessibility icon, many people see opportunity, yes, but also passivity. For 20 years, the familiar wheelchair-shaped sign has pointed the way toward accessible parking spots, Web site features, and much more. However, it has also presented an image of a static wheelchair user, waiting, the symbol seemed to communicate, for someone else’s help. In 2011, a designer and mother of a son with Downs Syndrome decided to change that perception. In its new incarnation, the person in the chair looks more active, self-sufficient and ready to take on the world.

Icon innovation

The updated take on the International Symbol of Accessibility

The updated take on the International Symbol of Accessibility, courtesy of Triangle, Inc.

Two years ago Sara Hendren, a Harvard-educated graphic artist, noticed a variation of the traditional accessibility icon in a Massachusetts contemporary art museum and had an epiphany. She realized that the internationally-recognized symbol communicates a certain submissiveness on the part of the wheelchair rider. As the mother of a child with Downs Syndrome, she wished to update the icon to show more motion and self-reliance.

To that end, Hendren partnered with Brian Glenney, a philosophy professor at Gordon College, to form the Accessible Icon Project and reshape the icon—and, perhaps, the way people think about people with disabilities. While Hendren handled the artwork, Glenney, in his words, “focused on getting the message out and make it happen logistically.” The Project is now a 501(c)(3) organization that advocates for change to the more active symbol. (A fuller description of the dialogue that initiated the new icon design appears in more detail at http://ablersite.org/2010/03/29/ongoing-public-signs)

Key differences

The new icon preserves the internationally-renowned seated wheelchair user but adds motion. The head is forward, the elbows are up, the wheels are moving, and the arms are doing the work of pushing. Though visually subtle, the changes present an image that is unquestionably dynamic.

Although the icon represents more than just wheelchair accessibility, Hendren and Glenney decided to keep the chair in their updated version because the symbol is already internationally recognized. Says Hendren, “Editing the old symbol maintains its integrity and practicality while also drawing attention to its importance as a symbol, far beyond the literal use of chairs.”

The Accessible Icon Project website site notes, “Regardless of the language or culture, people recognize this symbol. Its relational two-color combination and scale make it easy to spot when you’re scanning a crowded city street or an airport terminal. Icons are standardized, 2D and in high contrast, for a reason—to make them readily visible to anyone, anywhere. There’s power in that!”

Why bother to update a public icon, one that may seem to be just a means to an end? Glenney addresses this point. “Some say, ‘it’s just a symbol,’” he relates. “But the visual shapes our cognition in profound ways, some of which may be conscious but most of which is unconscious. Symbols also provoke conversation and dialogue. The symbolic matters.”

Hendren’s revision of the symbol is fully compliant with the Americans for Disabilities Act, which allows modifications of the icon. Slight variations on the historical International Symbol of Accessibility, as the existing symbol is officially known, are generally permissible as long as they clearly display a wheelchair and signify accessibility.

Partnering and Expanding

How does one go about changing an official icon, known internationally and present in myriad public places? Like many initiatives, the Accessible Icon Project started small. Hendren began by putting stickers with her updated icon over its traditional counterparts in the halls and rooms of Gordon College and nearby neighborhoods in Malden, Massachusetts. The movement has since gathered publicity and momentum up and down the East Coast and is pushing into more areas.

From its two-person beginnings, the Accessibility Icon Project now boasts a leadership team of twelve, including six people with disabilities of various sorts. Among them is Jeff Gentry of Triangle, an organization that is deeply committed to helping the world realize that we are all people with ability. Gentry and the other Project Directors have been instrumental in the expansion of the use of the updated symbol.

“Triangle supports the new logo by using it themselves and promoting it to their partners,” says Glenney. Thanks to Triangle, Clarks Americas, Talbots, and other retailers associated with Triangle have adopted the icon. A major national grocery chain should soon be on board with the new look.

As an organization that provides support, challenge and job opportunities to people with disabilities, Triangle is well positioned to help promote the icon. Gentry says,“When I saw the icon I fell in love with it immediately. I quickly proposed that we use it in our parking lot at Triangle and our youth had a fantastic time doing the painting.”

From there, the updated icon began to make its appearance all around the area. “Gary Christenson, the mayor of Malden, Massachusetts saw the icon and decided to take it all over the city,” explain Gentry. Triangle’s School-to-Career students have put the icon on the ground at Clarks Americas, Talbots, and Gordon College.

Gentry points out that despite the cost of repainting or replacing signs, a change to the updated icon benefits businesses and organizations that adopt it. “It’s a wise business decision to use the new symbol, to reach out to people with disabilities,” he asserts, noting that “18.78 percent of the population have a disability and we need to market to them. This symbol says that your business welcomes respects that people with disabilities.”

Gentry adds, “We hope that the icon, will provoke conversations about the way we see disabilities now, and that people with disabilities will use the icon as a symbol of their self-confidence and power. When I talk about the icon, I juxtapose the new icon with the historic but dated symbol of access.” The visual contrast between the symbols usually sells the message.

Another Accessible Icon Director, Brian Hildreth, has moved to New Bern, North Carolina and is exponentially expanding usage of the icon in his area. The  town of New Bern and two other local municipalities have adopted the logo as well as Zaxby’s restaurant, the Texas Roadhouse, and three other local companies.  Gentry says, “Hildreth was with us the first day we painted the icon and he has become the icon’s most effective ambassador.”

The Accessible Icon Project website offers instructions on how to shift to the new icon and offers stickers, templates for repainting parking spaces, and even T-shirts.

Beyond the icon, staff at the Accessibility Icon Project is moving to make broader changes. “We are slowly expanding our outreach through the website and articles,” Glenney says. “We want to get the word out about this different icon and its importance in changing the way people with disabilities think about themselves and the way all Americans view them. We want to increase access for people with disabilities far beyond parking spaces. We want to reach into the minds and hearts of people with this icon and increase access in jobs and more—in all aspects of life.”