Access Denial — Interview with Sheldon Levy (Part 2 of 2)

One of the campaigns we hosted was the “Wheelchair For A Day” experience. It allowed for able-bodied people to borrow a wheelchair and go about their normal daily routine while using a wheelchair instead of walking to various places to simulate what life with a mobile disability might be like. One of our participants was Ryerson University’s president, mr. Sheldon Levy. We caught up with him for an impromptu interview about his experience while in a wheelchair, as well as accessibility at Ryerson in general. “Access Denial” was a collaborative final thesis project of a 4th year New Media student designed with the intent of developing awareness of how inaccessibility the various man-made structures and facilities are to those who have mobility disabilities, using Ryerson University (Toronto, Canada) as the model. Someone who has a mobility disability, either temporary or long term, may rely on the aid of devices such as wheelchairs, crutches, cane, walkers, motorized scooters to get around, or they have a non-visible mobility disability such as heart conditions or arthritis. Another goal of the project was to prove that even though some facilities may claim to be “accessible”, in reality they aren’t. For more information on how you can help make change, please visit www.RyeACCESS.ca