Greetings and Happy Fall !
Editor ’ s Note
Fred J . Maahs , Jr .
Welcome to our October issue of Mélange , Accessibility for All , magazine .
I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer . For many of us , there were events and weather that impacted our daily lives , including our jobs and in some cases , our travel and vacation plans . Hopefully the coming months will be much better for all of us .
Here in the US , there were a number of Regulations and Rulings passed by our government which impacts the lives of people with disabilities , including the HHS Issues New Proposed Rule to Strengthen Prohibitions Against Discrimination on the Basis of a Disability in Health Care and Human Services Programs and Supreme Court upholds Section 2 of Voting Rights Act . Furthermore , the Supreme Court issued a ruling that protects the rights of Medicaid recipients .
As we enter the fall season , people around the world are traveling in record numbers and some estimates show numbers are even higher than pre-Covid in 2019 . That ’ s good news for all of us and for anyone with a disability or a special requirement , make sure that you do your homework and plan your travel with a reputable travel agency with the knowledge and experience to help you have an amazing accessible and worry-free trip !
In this issue of Mélange Accessibility for All , you ’ ll see some great stories about people like Patty Cisneros Prevo and events , such as 2023 World Inclusion Day , and of course some amazing technology like AbilityNet .
As always , in every issue of Mélange Accessibility for All , we will continue to bring you stories from around the world about people , places , innovative technology , and companies that each make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities around the world .
And don ’ t forget our sister magazine , Mélange Accessible Journeys . In this Mélange digital magazine , we share stories from all around the world about accessible travel destinations written and experienced by people with disabilities . In each issue of Mélange Accessible Journeys , you will find personal , firsthand accounts of what each traveler experienced during their journey . It ’ s a resource for anyone of any ability who wants to take an accessible journey ! We hope you enjoy it !
Keep using your voice and sharing your stories with us . We will continue to make it all real , all relevant , and we certainly appreciate your thoughts . Let us know if you have a assistive technology product you want us to try and write about , or if you want to invite us to visit your city , country , resort , or place of interest so that we can write about its accessibility and share it with our audience . You can reach me at fmaahs @ readmelange . com .
@
FredMaahs - Twitter
Fred J . Maahs , Jr . is an internationallyrenown disability and civil rights champion who believes in and advocates for the rights and access for all ! A recognized leader and former corporate executive , he ’ s also an International Keynote speaker , collaborator , and an international accessibility travel expert .
Publisher : Mélange Publishing Group Editor in Chief : Debbie Austin Editor : Fred Maahs , Jr . Designer : Trish Palma
Editorial Staff : Nancy Baye Marina Apperley Lisa Guthrie Deabill Mae Fornoles
We try to present information that is current and accurate , but errors can occur . If you ’ ve found an error in the magazine , please email Marina Apperley at : marina @ readmelange . com
CONTACT US : Comments | Share a story | Contribute an article email : marina @ readmelange . com
6
Mélange Accessibility for All magazine is published four times per year by Mélange Publishing Group 300-3665 Kingsway , Vancouver , BC , Canada V5R 5W2 . © 2023 Mélange Publishing Group All rights reserved .
Accessibilty for All To Table of Contents