[NFBC-SFV] Blatant discrimination against people with disabilities by Access services here in Los Angeles county

[Julian]

Greetings fellow chapter members,

Some of you may be aware of the fact that I have recently started documenting what I feel is blatant discrimination in denial of our civil rights under the Americans with disabilities act by Access services here in Los Angeles County. This all has to do with their continued Requirement that we all wear face coverings while on board access services vehicles. In case you're not aware, on September 23, 2022 the Los Angeles county health Director, following the lead of the CDC and the state of California, removed the mandatory requirement that passengers wear face coverings on board public transportation and indoor transportation hubs.  As we all know, access services is called para transit and thus is also considered to be public transit here in Los Angeles County. If one refuses to cover their face while on an access vehicle, they are threatened with denial of service. This is absolutely a blatant denial of our civil rights and discriminatory practices and should be spoken out against and strongly condemned.

I have written a letter to both the state president as well as the national president of the NFB asking for their assistance in speaking out against this heinous practice.  Any of you who are so inclined should consider doing the same. The more voices the better. This is after all, blindness equality achievement month and I can't imagine a more fitting thing than to have the NFB speak up against policies that clearly render the blind as well as others with disabilities less than equal  when it comes to our treatment aboard public transportation. We need to be allowed to live the lives we want and not have discrimination and denial of our civil rights holding us back. See below for the text of the letter that I sent to  Both presidents:

    Dear Tim Elder and Mark A. Riccobono,


I am writing to make you aware of, and hoping that NFB will assist with stopping what I feel is blatant discrimination and denial of our rights under the ADA, especially during Blind Equality Achievement Month. You may or may not be aware that following the lead of the CDC, and the State of CA, the Los Angeles County Health Director lifted the mandatory mask wearing requirement, and now just strongly recommends mask wearing, aboard all forms of public transit and indoor transit hubs on September 23, 2022. Below is a paragraph from a County newsletter that was recently forwarded to me:


> *Masks are strongly recommended:*
>
>   * *On all forms of public transit*, including trains, buses, shuttle buses,
>     taxis, ride-shares, and medical transport.
>   * *In all transportation hubs*, including airport and bus terminals, train
>     and subway stations, seaports or other indoor port terminals, or any other
>     indoor area that serves as a transportation hub

* Please note that it says "strongly recommended, not required


Despite this policy change, Access Services, the LA County provider of ADA Para-transit, is still requiring all riders to continue to wear masks indefinitely, and if we don't wish to have this imposed on us, they threaten not to transport us. I know of at least one person who was removed from an Access vehicle by a road supervisor and LAPD and has now been suspended from using the service, just for respectfully declining to wear a mask. Keep in mind that able bodied riders of all other forms of public transit no longer have to wear masks if they don't wish, and certainly aren't being threatened, and being denied their rights to public transit in this manor. This amounts to nothing less than denial of our civil rights under the ADA and blatant discrimination since this only affects riders with disabilities. Regardless of how one may feel about mask wearing, this is about a clear lack of equality while riding public transit. This absolutely  interferes with the philosophy of "living the lives we want", it's discrimination and denial of our civil rights, holding us back and it needs to stop.


I'm sincerely hoping that the NFBCA, as well as NFB National will join us here in LA County in speaking out against this discriminatory practice, not just on behalf of the Blind, but all people with disabilities who are negatively impacted by this. I've started recording video to document every instance of this discrimination that I encounter and sharing it publicly on FaceBook to draw attention to this situation, and would be happy to provide it to you as well if it would be helpful. I look forward to hearing from you soon, Thank you for your consideration.


Sincerely,

-- 
Julian Vargas
Mobile Access Technology Training and Consulting
www.techjv.com
818-794-9554

Sent from my iPhone