On the sidewalk outside of a Duane Reade store in Manhattan on 38th Street and 7th Avenue, a group of people in wheelchairs are gathered for the press conference of the Duane Reade settlement that will make for its chain of stores accessible to people with disabilites. In the center of the picture, Carr Massi (holding yellow sign), Toby Edwards (with headphones), and Luda Demikhovskaya (with sign poster on her lap reading ACCESS IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS). At the far right of the picture is Jean Ryan, holding 3 different signs on her lap.
Anne Emerman (pictured center) is seen holding a sign reading ACCESS EQUALS MORE SALES with the handicap symbol next to the words. Fusun Ateser (pictured right) holds a sign reading BUILD RAMPS NOT STEPS.
Photo by Marianne Lado
We Want To Shop In ALL Stores,
WE SHOP,
ACCESS YES, STEPS NO.
Photo by Marianne Lado
Photo by Marianne Lado
Photo by Marianne Lado
Photo by Marianne Lado
A woman (pictured center) is seen holding a sign reading
MORE ACCESS EQUALS MORE BUSINESSwith the handicap sign placed in between the words
MOREand
ACCESS. Also pictured: Ramon Santos of CIDNY (pictured far left), Anne Emerman (pictured right, in wheelchair, holding a sign reading ACCESS EQUALS MORE SALES as she speaks with a woman squatting down next to her)
Photo by Marianne Lado
Ramon Santos (pictured center, holding a sign reading
HOORAY FOR 36-INCH AISLES!) is seen speaking, via microphone attachment from the megaphone, on the need for accessibility. The press conference announced Duane Reade settling to have their chain of stores accessible to people with disabilities. Also pictured: Nadina LaSpina (pictured left, holding a sign on her lap reading
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS IS GOOD BUSINESS), a woman (pictured bottom right, holding a sign reading
MORE ACCESS EQUALS MORE BUSINESS), and Gavin Kearney (pictured top right, standing while holding megaphone next to Ramon Santos)
Photo by Marianne Lado
WE SHOP), Luda Demikhovskaya (left-of-center, with a sign on her lap reading
ACCESS IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS), Toby Edwards (center, holding a sign reading
WHERE WHEELCHAIRS GO SHOPPING CARTS AND STROLLERS FOLLOW), Jean Ryan (pictured right-of-center, holding three signs, each reading
DISABLED IN ACTION EQUAL ACCESS,
WHERE WHEELCHAIRS GO STROLLERS AND SHOPPING CARTS FOLLOW, and
BUILD RAMPS NOT STEPS), Marty Sesmer (pictured behind and to the right of Jean, holding sign reading
DISABLED IN ACTION), and a man standing holding a sign reading
ACCESS YES! STEPS NO!. Many of the people shown in the photograph are seen looking to the right to where Ramon Santos (not pictured) was speaking.
Photo by Marianne Lado
“We have some small stores and [making them accessible] will be a challenge for us… But I am pleased that we have reached an agreement.”Also pictured (from left to right): Toby Edwards (wearing headphones, holding a sign reading
WHERE WHEELCHAIRS GO SHOPPING CARTS AND STROLLERS FOLLOW), Jean Ryan (pictured to the left of the spokesperson, holding three signs, each reading
DISABLED IN ACTION EQUAL ACCESS,
WHERE WHEELCHAIRS GO STROLLERS AND SHOPPING CARTS FOLLOW, and
BUILD RAMPS NOT STEPS), Nadina LaSpina (pictured right of the spokesperson, holding a sign reading
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS IS GOOD BUSINESS), and a sign (right of Nadina LaSpina, held by Ramon Santos) reading
HOORAY FOR 36-INCH AISLES!
Photo by Marianne Lado
DISABLED IN ACTION EQUAL ACCESS), Jerry Ray, (pictured center, speaking into a microphone attachment from the megaphone), a spokesperson for Duane Reade and Gavin Kearney (pictured right, holding a megaphone) are seen at the press conference announcing the Duane Reade settlement to have their chain of stores accessible to people with disabilities. Pictured left is a video camera from the WWOR television station and Luda Demikhovskaya (pictured bottom left).
Photo by Marianne Lado
A policeman is seen on guard at the press conference announcing the settlement of Duane Reade, which will start to have their stores accessible to people with disabilities. Pictured bottom right, Anne Emerman. Although the picture cuts off the words of the sign, it fully reads
ACCESS EQUALS MORE SALESalong with the handicap sign next to this phrase.
Photo by Marianne Lado
ACCESS IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS), William McCabe (center, lawyer from Ropes & Gray), and Gavin Kearney (right, lawyer from New York Lawyers for the Public Interest) are shown outside of a Manhattan Duane Reade store at 38th Street and 7th Avenue. Also pictured, in the background: Toby Edwards (top left) and Marty Sesmer (behind Jean Ryan, right of Toby).
Photo by Marianne Lado
Photo by Jean Ryan