One week and thirty three years ago today, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. On today’s show, we bring you three stories about Louisianans making their communities more accessible.
First, we look back on Carnival season. With loud noises, tightly-packed crowds, and objects flying left and right – a Mardi Gras parade might not seem like the friendliest space for people with disabilities. Thankfully, there are some krewes that are specifically focused on inclusivity, diversity and accessibility. And perhaps no Krewe is better known for this than the Krewe of King Arthur.
Back in February, we were joined by three King Arthur Krewe members, Dr. Rose Angelocci, Mary LeBlanc, and Loretta Brehm. Today we look back at that conversation.
Towards the beginning of summer, Fontainebleau State Park became the first park in the state to offer an all-terrain wheelchair, allowing patrons with limited mobility the opportunity to explore hiking trails and the beach like never before.
Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is spearheading the effort to make all Louisiana state parks more accessible. In June, he joined WRKF’s Karen Henderson for more, along with Jonah Clement, whose 17-year-old nephew Elijah Clement was the first person to use the all-terrain wheelchair at Fontainebleau State Park. Today, we look back on that conversation.
In 2021, Louisiana native Hagan Landry won the silver medal in shot put at the Tokyo Olympics. And after the ceremony, he thought of Stephanie Lamparez, a physical therapist turned para-athlete coach in New Iberia who took hundreds of athletes with disabilities under her wing for more than thirty years.
Last year, we highlighted Lamparez and the monumental impact she’s had on Louisiana’s para-athletic community. Today, we give that story a second listen.
Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber. Our digital editor is Katelyn Umholtz and our engineers are Garrett Pittman and Aubry Procell.
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