[IL-Talk] Quads Gym Update

Wed May 3 17:14:46 UTC 2023

Kelly and Andrew,
I could not have been more pleased and proud to learn of this outcome and how you both approached engaging with Quads gym. Like you stated Andrew, the outcome bears the result of grace, patience, and the desire to educate and teach, and not accelerate conflict.    

What a great partnership between you both, congratulations.

Maureen Reid
Job Placement Counselor | Scholarship Coordinator  | Employment Services
Phone: 312.997.3655
Fax: 312.445.3640
www.chicagolighthouse.org

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Andrew Webb via IL-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, May 3, 2023 12:03 PM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Andrew Webb <awebb2168 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] Quads Gym Update

Thanks Kelly! I really appreciate your kind words, about both Equip for Equality and me personally. It's been and an honor and privilege to represent you in this matter. As Debbie noted, it is extremely unfortunate that in 2023 we as a community still have to fight these kind of cases. But what a relief to have finally gotten this one to a happy resolution, and kudos to you for your grace and patience throughout the process. We took the high road here, and the outcome bears that out. I'm delighted that you're having such a great workout experience at Quads, and that all vibes since your arrival there have been positive and welcoming. It has been rewarding to help show some folks the way from their fear and ignorance to a much better place and a better understanding of our capabilities as blind people. And I'm glad that you will continue to raise your profile within the lifting community and beyond.

Best to all,
Andrew

On 5/2/23, Kelly Pierce via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Some may remember last fall when I attempted to become a member of the 
> world famous Quads Gym on north Broadway Street in Chicago, about a 
> mile from where I live.  The owner refused to sell me a membership 
> unless I brought a personal trainer or attendant at my expense to 
> accompany me at all times. He feared I would fall down the stairs or 
> crash into equipment because of my blindness, even though he knew 
> nothing about me or that I had been training in a gym two blocks away 
> for 10 years. Blindness leaders on this list suggested I contact Equip 
> for Equality for legal representation to resolve the dispute.  I did 
> and was very fortunate to be assigned Andrew Webb as my attorney.
> Andrew understands blindness as he is a graduate of BLIND, Inc. in 
> Minneapolis like myself. He was graduated from Georgetown and like 
> Patti Gregory-Chang, the University of Chicago Law School, ranked as 
> the third best law school in America by US News and World Report.  We 
> are both members of Disability Lead, a group of leaders and 
> professionals with disabilities in the Chicago area. Andrew wrote a 
> letter to Quads that was perfect describing my legal rights and 
> remedies for them to correct the problem. After some back and forth 
> and two different attorneys from Quads later, I am now a member of 
> Quads Gym. I have performed two workouts already. In addition to 
> granting me a membership, the gym has adopted a comprehensive 
> disability accommodations policy that will apply to anyone else in the 
> future.
>
> I very much appreciate the recommendation here of advocacy from Equip 
> for Equality. Andrew fostered a positive environment of disability 
> acceptance and inclusion that educated Quads both on the legal rights 
> of people with disabilities and my capacities as a powerlifter who has 
> competed in several mainstream competitions as a blind person.  The 
> result was not just a membership at Quads but a staff that has 
> welcomed me, been extremely positive, showed me around, and has 
> offered multiple demonstrations of various kinds of equipment.
> Andrew’s positivity and legal talent has been transferred to the staff 
> and even the attorney representing Quads, who are all now both glad to 
> have me as a member. Private attorneys are hungry for ADA cases.
> Attitudinal barrier cases like mine that do not require substantial 
> modifications to physical items like websites or services do not fare 
> well when lawyers immediately jump into court with a lawsuit I am 
> told. That’s because the other side hires a litigation lawyer and 
> quickly drops the policy that arose from the dispute. They are left 
> with a hefty legal bill as they work to dismiss the case and declare 
> it moot. Meanwhile, they are often angry, hostile and nasty from being 
> dragged through the legal ringer before any engagement from disability 
> advocates to understand the law and the issues involved.
>
> Thanks everyone for your support, Equip for Equality for taking on the 
> case, and Andrew for his passion, persistence, and awesome legal 
> talent.
>
> Kelly
>
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