NYRR: How We're Enhancing Disability Inclusion in 2024
As we celebrate Disability Pride Month this July, NYRR continues our commitment to ensuring that our programs, events, activities, and services are accessible to all, in accordance with New York City, New York State, and U.S. federal law.
Read NYRR’s Accessibility Statement, our first-ever public declaration of commitments to inclusive programming and environments.
In recent years, we have expanded our efforts toward disability inclusion to further comply with city, state, and federal mandates.
NYRR’s History of Inclusion and Accessibility
We have a long history of inclusion of athletes with disabilities (AWDs) and a multiyear partnership with Achilles International, an organization that provides a community of support for AWDs.
In 2022, Marc Guillaume joined NYRR as our first-ever director of disability inclusion and accessibility. He assists with strategic planning for programs, events, services. Facilities, policies, and procedures related to opportunities for people with disabilities.
With Marc’s expert guidance, NYRR instituted several new initiatives, including installing assisted listening system (ALS) technology at the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub, implementing a meetings and events checklist for NYRR staff, and leading staff learning opportunities on various types of disabilities, the rights of people with disabilities, the barriers faced, and common misconceptions.
Recent Key Achievements
“Our goal is to provide a comprehensive range of ADA-recognized auxiliary aids and services, intentionally designed to create meaningful, universally accessible experiences for everyone,” said Guillaume. “We aim to remind everyone that ensuring access is not only a fundamental human right but also the right thing to do.”
Key achievements over the past 18 months include:
Reasonable accommodation language: For over a year, NYRR has included language on race pages to bring awareness that we offer reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities: NYRR strives to host inclusive, sustainable, and accessible events that enable all individuals to engage, To request reasonable accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility for attending this event, please email accessibility@nyrr.org.
Assistive Listening System (ALS) and automatic door opening at the NYRR RUNCENTER: Last year we installed ALS technology at the RUNCENTER designed to allow individuals with hearing loss or hearing disability enhance their ability to hear and understand audio announcements. This year we added automatic door opening devices at the RUNCENTER. Embracing the theory of “universal design,” this accommodation also benefits people such as parents with young children that are using strollers during bib pickup or runner education panels.
“It’s the curb-cut effect,” said Guillaume, referring to the phenomenon of disability-friendly features being used and appreciated by a larger group than the people they were designed for.
Braille on race bibs and medals: Braille on race bibs and medals: Together, NYRR and leading adaptive running nonprofit Achilles International, pioneered Braille on race bibs and medals at the 2023 Achilles Hope & Possibility® 4M Presented by TD Bank, and it continued at this year’s race. Additionally, for the first time in race history, the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon medal featured Braille lettering, spelling out “TCS NYC MARATHON.”
NYRR Accessibility Advocacy Group: On the theory of “nothing for us without us,” NYRR has an Accessibility Advocacy Group, comprised of internal and external stakeholders, inlcuding individuals with disabilities, with a mandate to assess, review, and develop best practices to enhance universal design in NYRR programmatic offerings, then to provide those findings and recommendations to NYRR senior leadership for review and consideration. "Their priority is to strategically structure our approach to integrate disability inclusion across organizational operations," said Guillaume.
What’s Next?
At the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon start village, expect to see a quiet space for neurodivergent individuals but open to all, with soothing sounds and low light. “This will benefit anyone who needs a soothing atmosphere and reduced anxiety,” said Guillaume.
NYRR also plans to continue to work with the volunteer team to address reasonable accommodation requests from volunteers, to work with human resources to create a more accessible application process for prospective applicants, and to explore continuous enhancement of programmatic access throughout NYRR.