ACTION ALERT: Demand Accessible Transportation at ALL Minnesota State Fair Park-and-Rides!

Sign our petition telling the Minnesota State Fair: Provide accessible transportation at ALL State Fair park-and-rides!

For the 2011 Minnesota State Fair, 27 out of 35 park-and-ride options (80%) have vehicles that are not wheelchair-accessible. Although, 7 park-and-ride options (20%) do use accessible vehicles, only 1 park-and-ride guarantees consistent availability of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.  The remaining 6 park-and-ride locations indicate wheelchair-accessible vehicles will be used when they are available, but do not tell us when they will be available, thereby making it nearly impossible to plan our trips.  Most of these accessible locations are relatively close to the fairgrounds; they are not equally distributed geographically. Therefore, individuals and families experiencing disability, chronic illness, or aging -- especially those living further away from the fairgrounds -- do not have an equal opportunity for equal participation in the Minnesota State Fair park-and-ride benefit. We believe this violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects the civil rights of Americans experiencing disability.

ADAPT Minnesota, the sponsor of this petition, is a chapter of the national ADAPT. ADAPT is a grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in non-violent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.  Originally, ADAPT was an acronym that stood for Americans Disabled for Accessible Public Transit.  In the early-80s, ADAPT's initial issue was to get wheelchair accessible lifts on buses.  Since then, the group has expanded to address all disability-related rights.

Share Your Ally/Media Contacts -- Unify, Encourage, and Empower Your Community

While ADAPT Minnesota organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, which one may or may not include civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom, we are part of a much bigger community.

Please help us develop a larger, more unified, and more powerful community of individuals, families, organizations, and media that can more effectively encourage and empower equal opportunities for equal participation in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for everyone.  Help us by 1) sharing your ally and media contacts; 2) introducing us to them; 3) identifying opportunities where we can work together; 4) engaging them to work with us toward our common visions, promote our shared values, and work on our unique missions.

• Ally Contact Submission Form (Google Forms)
• Media Contact Submission Form (Google Forms)

If you have any problems using the Google Forms, please let us know of those challenges and your contact by simply e-mailing adapt.mn@gmail.com .

ASL Interpreters Wanted -- Volunteers and/or Independent Contractors

• Wednesdays through June, 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., in St. Paul (Griggs-Midway Building; 1821 University Avenue; Map)
• Thursday, June 23 1:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. at the Minnesota State Capitol
• Other Opportunities Going Forward

ADAPT Minnesota is looking for several American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters to help us ensure equal opportunities for equal participation exist for everyone. ASL interpreters are desired for our regularly scheduled membership meetings, activities, and events. Volunteers are fantastic, but we are able to compensate as well.

ADAPT Minnesota is statewide chapter of a national grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, that may or may not include civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom; equal opportunities for equal participation in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We strive to ensure all our meetings, activities, and events are scent free and safe spaces .

Please forward this message to your family, friends, colleagues, and communities to help us develop a large and qualified pool of ASL interpretation professionals.

If you are interested in joining us as an ASL interpreter, please feel free to provide your information on our ASL interpreter roster sign-up form.  Only our communications committee will have access to the information you submit.  If you have any trouble using the form or have any questions, comments, or concerns, please e-mail adapt.mn@gmail.com with your qualifications and availability.