NEW ISSUE

The Weird and Wonderful Tokyo Paralympics

The Paralympic Games have always been more than just a sporting event. But the Tokyo edition may be remembered more for the conditions it was held amid than for the actual competition. Yet, these Paralympics were every bit the breathtaking show they’ve been in years past. To find out how athletes pushed through the weirdness of Tokyo 2020ne and still managed to put on a performance for the ages, we went straight to the source. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the Tokyo Paralympics, as told by five athletes who were there. Plus, Josie Byzek reports on how Paralympic medalists are finally receiving pay equal to Olympic medalists, and Seth McBride argues that Tokyo may be a tipping point for Paralympic media coverage.

NEWS

Three Wheelchair Users Awarded $1 Million Each

Imagine going through your daily routine. Maybe you’re having coffee, about to go for a roll with your dog, or you’re stressing about the dozens of things you must do today. And then you get a phone call: The largest funder of spinal cord injury programs and research in the country wants to give you $1 million, no strings attached. As fantastical as it sounds, that’s what happened to three wheelchair users — Kim Anderson-Erisman, Wesley Hamilton and Alice Sheppard. Read more about these SCI leaders here.

PHOTO CONTEST

Submit a Photo of Your Date Night for a Chance to Win $200

We want to see what date night looks like for you and your partner. Whether it’s drinks and dinner on the town, hitting the trails, board games with friends — you name it — date night can be whatever you do to unwind, relax and enjoy. Click the link for information on how to submit — you could win a $200 Visa gift card and be featured in an upcoming issue in print and online.

Accessible Air Travel

New Seat Design Aims to Let Wheelchair Users Fly in Their Own Chair

Apparently, we’re not the only ones who think it’s dumb (and dangerous) that 35 years after the passage of the Air Carrier Access Act, wheelchair users are still thrown around like pieces of luggage when we get on a plane. Now, a global aviation design firm has unveiled a seating system that would let power wheelchair users fly in their own chairs. Click the link for more info on this innovative design and to see a video of how it works.

PRO TIPS

How to Find the Right Disability Lawyer

When you have a mobility disability, you may need legal representation for numerous reasons. Maybe you want to recover an injury settlement, navigate Social Security and special needs trusts, fight for child custody, or file an employment discrimination lawsuit. Knowing where to begin can be overwhelming, so we turned to Kelly Simoneaux, a wheelchair user and founder of Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm. Here’s her five-step guide to finding the right disability lawyer.

Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say and How to be an Ally

Rooted in Rights editor Emily Ladau has gifted the disability community with a short, simple book that packs in just about everything we wish our friends and families understood about disability but don’t know how to tell them. Read this excerpt of Demystifying Disability for an insider’s look at what it means to identify as disabled. And then give it to the guy in the office who likes to tell you to stop racing in the halls or your aunt who’s just sure a cure is coming soon — it will help them get where you’re coming from.

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