17 Years on Wheels, 20 years at Google: Subways, Wheelchairs and Maps

This event will be online on [YouTube](https://youtu.be/D31AFpfMLp8) and in-person (New York City). **The speaker and livestream start at 7:30 pm ET**. In-person attendees may arrive as early as 7 pm ET. If arriving late, please leave a comment on this page and someone will come down ASAP. **Description** In 2009, a dramatic accident in Central Park profoundly altered my life trajectory, instantly becoming 1 in 4 people worldwide living with significant disabilities. Ever since, I've navigated the world in a wheelchair, relearning what it means to be a New York father, Google Maps engineer, and athlete. Despite the challenges, though, I've more frequently found gratitude, purpose, and even joy in the vast, strong community of people with disabilities. Gratitude for all we've accomplished in the last half-century, and both purpose and joy in working with disabled folk and allies to extend those gains. In the physical world, fighting and winning a subway accessibility lawsuit, and online, adding disability-aware data and features to Google Maps so people of all abilities can "know before we go" if a place and route are a good choice. **Presenter bio** [Sasha Blair-Goldensohn](www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-blair-goldensohn-429a5125b) leads Google Maps accessibility and disability innovation projects, helping people worldwide find accessible places and routes.