Accessible New York is a project team, comprised of students and faculty at the City University of New York, with and without disabilities, dedicated to bringing people with disabilities to the travel and hospitality marketplace in New York City by tearing down the barriers that prevent equal access through education and training as well as information sharing and networking. Accessible New York has developed and continues to refine an Accessibility Certification Guide. This Guide includes criteria by which hotels, restaurants, theaters, and other hospitality establishments in New York City are rated according to the accessibility of their facility and the accommodations provided by their staff. This information is then passed on to visitors to NYC who have disabilities, so that they can make informed decisions when spending their money in the travel and hospitality marketplace of the Big Apple.

Accessible New York was piloted for the Society for Disability Studies, an academic conference at Baruch College in Manhattan in June of 2008, when over 350 scholars from around the country and the world visited New York City for a four-day affair. In advance of the conference, students and faculty completed site visits at over 60 popular destinations in Manhattan near to the conference site, inspecting facilities and speaking with staff to gauge the accessibility of the organization to people with disabilities. The results of this research were published in the conference program, and served to guide the conference participants in their choices of where to dine and where to unwind after a long day of academic rigor. In addition, Accessible New York team members were on-site to assist conference attendees in their explorations of the Big Apple. Overall, the conference received high marks from the attendees, and the visitors were able to enjoy their time in New York City, in part thanks to the work of the Accessible New York team.

In the coming months, Accessible New York team members will evaluate the project and determine next steps. These next steps will include evaluating more sites, refining the Accessibility Guide Criteria, and bringing in new project members and partners. To keep abreast of Accessible New York work, and to join the project, visit our website at:http://cunyive.ning.com/group/accessiblenewyork.