“It’s insulting because it’s not meeting the standard.”
March 29, 2021 9:14 PM Subscribe
Edith Prentiss, Fierce Voice for New York's Disabled, Dies at 69
Prentiss was a relentless advocate for accessible public transit in a city that often ignores even its legal obligations to its mobility-impaired residents, and is largely responsible (Taxis for All) for the substantial expansion of accessible taxis in the city.
"Edith Prentiss was a fierce advocate who was straightforward, knowledgeable and unapologetic but also kind and loving towards everyone. Edith advocated for anyone and everyone, understanding that the disability rights movement was not just for people who use wheelchairs but for every person with every type of disability."
Edith Prentiss’ logic was unassailable: The city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission’s plan to increase the number of wheelchair accessible yellow taxis ten-fold sounded good, but was really a cruel joke. It was 2004 and the TLC was going from three cabs to 30. There were then 12,787 yellows on the road. So a person in a wheelchair, like Edith, would have still had about a zero percent chance of hailing one on a street corner.
"She was outspoken and she just didn't take any guff from anybody," said her friend and fellow advocate Joe Rappaport.
Prentiss was a relentless advocate for accessible public transit in a city that often ignores even its legal obligations to its mobility-impaired residents, and is largely responsible (Taxis for All) for the substantial expansion of accessible taxis in the city.
"Edith Prentiss was a fierce advocate who was straightforward, knowledgeable and unapologetic but also kind and loving towards everyone. Edith advocated for anyone and everyone, understanding that the disability rights movement was not just for people who use wheelchairs but for every person with every type of disability."
Edith Prentiss’ logic was unassailable: The city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission’s plan to increase the number of wheelchair accessible yellow taxis ten-fold sounded good, but was really a cruel joke. It was 2004 and the TLC was going from three cabs to 30. There were then 12,787 yellows on the road. So a person in a wheelchair, like Edith, would have still had about a zero percent chance of hailing one on a street corner.
"She was outspoken and she just didn't take any guff from anybody," said her friend and fellow advocate Joe Rappaport.
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:43 PM on March 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:43 PM on March 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
.
posted by zenon at 9:44 PM on March 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by zenon at 9:44 PM on March 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
A legend. I hope others are able to pick up where she left off.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:18 PM on March 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:18 PM on March 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
.
posted by quazichimp at 1:16 AM on March 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by quazichimp at 1:16 AM on March 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
Edith was my aunt, my father's sister. Thank you for posting this. She was a true force of nature.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 4:29 AM on March 30, 2021 [15 favorites]
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 4:29 AM on March 30, 2021 [15 favorites]
.
posted by childofTethys at 4:31 AM on March 30, 2021
posted by childofTethys at 4:31 AM on March 30, 2021
They better ramp that stairway to heaven, fast.
posted by Soliloquy at 8:40 AM on March 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by Soliloquy at 8:40 AM on March 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
.
Thanks for posting this, I'm glad to learn about her.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:50 AM on March 30, 2021
Thanks for posting this, I'm glad to learn about her.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:50 AM on March 30, 2021
Oh - found that one of the links was available for me.
posted by manageyourexpectations at 4:59 PM on March 30, 2021
posted by manageyourexpectations at 4:59 PM on March 30, 2021
(Sorry, I tried to add links to nonpaywalled sources.)
posted by praemunire at 8:04 PM on March 30, 2021
posted by praemunire at 8:04 PM on March 30, 2021
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posted by roger ackroyd at 9:41 PM on March 29, 2021 [1 favorite]