This Thursday, May 16th, at the Waterhouse Pavilion, Signal Centers will be hosting its sixth annual accessibility event. The free event seeks to answer the question, “What does the most accessible version of Chattanooga look like.”
Alex Farrell
SCAE - Expo & Vendor - 2
The exposition will feature accessible products and services to enable all Chattanoogans to have a better quality of life in how they live, work, and play. Notable speakers from previous year’s accessibility summits include Haben Girma, a disability rights lawyer and the first Deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, Valerie Fletcher, the executive director of the Institute of Human-Centered Design, and Chris Downey, an award-winning architect who is blind.
Like in previous years, the event will take place in conjunction with Global Accessibility Awareness Day, a movement aimed at the proactive inclusion of accessibility in our thought processes, our technology and product development, and the places we inhabit.
The 2024 expo will include an opportunity to meet and mingle with vendors who provide products or services for individuals with disabilities, remarks from Glenna Wright-Gallo, the Assistant Secretary at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services for the United States Department of Education, and a panel discussion and Q&A with local experts and leaders who work in the accessibility space.
Signal Centers has hosted these accessibility events in support of Assistive Technology Services, a Signal Centers program that has been connecting individuals with disabilities to enabling devices, resources, and trainings since 1991.
“Advocating for accessibility and providing services for individuals with disabilities is the reason we exist,” says Donna McConnico, Signal Centers’ CEO. “It is in our DNA as an agency. From the nine families who formed our Children’s Services to seek support for their children with Cerebral Palsy, to our Chatter Camp, which teaches children who are non-verbal how to use Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices, our organization has always believed in the power of agency and the pursuit of self-sufficiency. Our accessibility events provide a fantastic opportunity to bring Chattanoogans in alignment with this work we have been doing in the community since 1957.”
The Expo is presented by UNUM, and is also sponsored by the City of Chattanooga, McKee Foods, EPB, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, and Coca-Cola. Those interested in attending this half-day expo may register for free by visiting www.signalcenters.org and clicking the Signal Centers Accessibility Expo icon. Lunch will be available for those who pre-register.
Signal Centers, Inc. is a nonprofit 501c-3 that has been an integral part of the Chattanooga community since 1957. Helping those with disabilities and other challenges strive to reach lifelong independence, Signal Centers’ services include giving children the best possible start through high-quality early childhood education and developmental therapies; supporting adults to facilitate independent living and employment; helping individuals of all ages use technology to overcome obstacles; supporting parents; and training professionals who work in the field of education. All programs support lifelong learning and independence.