IF THE PANDEMIC IS SLOWING DOWN YOUR BUSINESS

SHARE YOUR TALENT WITH THE COMMUNITY

I have donated $10,000 in professional time, writing about the 30^th Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

I have contributed more than one dozen feature stories and prominent opinion pieces to an array of print and online publications.

The major stories have explored the ADA’s impact on urban design, town planning, architecture, transport engineering, sustainability, landscape architecture, mobility and public policy.

Images and ideas have been shared on universal design, inclusive mobility, aging in place, barrier-removal, resiliency, funding and how journalists cover (or ignore) the ADA and people with disabilities.

I have turned a slowdown of 15% to 20% in billings into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share my knowledge via my flare for storytelling.

Statistics say one in four people reading this is completely unemployed because of COVID19.

Easily half the households checking out this blog have been impacted by decreased hours, lowered pay rates and other financial hits caused by closures/lockdowns.

Lockdowns we must all support – because we don’t want our families dying due to virus spread.

I know pro bono work doesn’t pay the bills, but it keeps you active.

It keeps you engaged in what you do best.

It allows for creativity to flow instead of depression creeping in.

So whatever you do – whether it’s building houses for neighborhood cats awaiting rescue/adoption, drawing up plans for wheelchair-accessible house additions or creating coloring books that portray diverse people – fill your vacant hours with this work.

Your work product may be so impressive that it even serves as a marketing tool – drawing more clients to your business or attracting a new employer that offers an exciting fresh job opportunity.

Here are some of the stories I have published via my passionate pro bono storytelling:

https://urbantravelandaccessibility.blogspot.com/2020/07/2021-city-county-and-state-budgets-must.html

https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/the-ada-is-turning-30-but-the-built-environment-is-still-far-from-inclusiv/581563/

https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2020/6/1/when-inclusive-isnt?rq=steve%20wright

https://www.newmobility.com/2020/07/the-ada-enforcers/

https://www.newmobility.com/2020/02/guide-to-local-advocacy/

https://medium.com/@stevewright_57150/the-americans-with-disabilities-act-at-30-its-a-major-news-story-6ab3efe5a332?source=friends_link&sk=1f9cb61f1c3bcbe6239f377511261119