A few weeks ago, I attended the longest standing
international disability film festival, Superfest.
I could fill pages gushing about the films’ portrayal of disability as nuanced,
complex, and diverse. In lieu of film reviews, I want to commend an excellent
example of accessibility.
The event was held at The Magnes Collection of Art and Life
in Berkeley on Saturday and The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco on
Sunday. Across both venues, audio description, captioning, and ASL were
provided without any need to make special request. They also provided
audience-integrated wheelchair seating, close-up seating for people with low
vision, a chemical free/scent free area, a quiet space, and gender-neutral
restrooms. And it goes without saying
service animals were welcomed, with dozens of dogs in attendance. Plus, there
was a separate contact if additional accommodations were needed.
That’s not all (insert cheesy car salesman grin). If you
were interested in a tour, guided tours are available with ASL and audio
descriptions for the blind. It may sound unsustainable, impractical, or out of
this world. Why would a venue include so many different accommodations
automatically?
Providing
accommodations took the pressure off audience members with differing levels of
ability. I wasn’t worried about being able to fully experience the event. I
didn’t feel the need to contact anyone in advance. I wasn’t concerned about my
ability to access the space. I didn’t fear feeling left out, excluded,
incapable, or like an afterthought. I knew all would be able to participate.
It was a remarkable
example of what accommodations can look like.
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