The Road to Inclusion
As part of its 2024 Race for Inclusion initiative, Special Olympics Florida recently held its second panel discussion focusing on the needs of people with intellectual disabilities on July 23.
Creating Accessible Paths: Overcoming Transportation Barriers for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities featured five expert panelists discussing how transportation systems can better serve Special Olympics athletes and others with ID. The discussion was moderated by Special Olympics Florida President and CEO Sherry Wheelock.
Panelists included:
- Raquel Regalado, Miami-Dade County Commissioner
- Eulois Cleckley, Miami-Dade County’s Director and CEO of the Department of Transportation & Public Works
- Chris Margaronis, Florida Partnership Manager at Uber Transit
- Leslie Walker, Founder of Best Practice LLC
- Patrick Goddard, President of Brightline
The discussion was held at the Miami offices of Brightline, Florida’s only privately owned, intercity passenger rail line. It was the second installment of the 2024 Race for Inclusion Speaker Series. The first Speaker Series event focused on healthcare and took place in Orlando on July 1.
This year’s Race for Inclusion initiative features eight fundraisers around the state – everything from 5Ks to open-water swims – to raise money supporting the more than 70,000 athletes of Special Olympics Florida. In South Florida, The Miami Race for Inclusion is a 5K run scheduled for December 14 at Bayfront Park. You can sign up for that race – or any other – at RaceforInclusion.org.
A huge thanks to our panelists for working to address the transportation needs of our athletes and all people with intellectual disabilities.
Watch the full panel discussion
