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- WARD 4 CITY COUNCILOR-
Reimagining
a more accessible Northampton
For my campaign, we choose the slogan: "Reimagine the Wheel". I think of it as an invitation to you to imagine what an accessible Northampton would look, feel, act, and be like.
In my time here, I have begun to do some reimagining in collaboration with activists, friends, artists, and many members of this community. Here are some of our accomplishments and works in progress. I look forward to knowing your thoughts, and to continuing the work.
Yours,
Jeremy
Testifying to Support Accessible Hiking Trails for All People
It was an honor to speak to the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a testimony for proposed House and Senate Bills that would support Accessible Hiking and Walking Trails- Senate Bill 446 & House Bill 769.
I talk in my testimony about my experience hiking the Lake Wallace Sensory Trail in Belchertown, and how an environment that was designed to include my body and mind had a significant impact.
You can click on this link below for my full testimony:
and you can also click on the photo for the news article by New England Public Media, that discusses the other testimonies made on October 11, as well as the importance of these bills. The link to the article is:
I support Accessible Trails for ALL!
[image description: this is a screenshot of an article from New England Public Media, titled: "'Calm, soothed, and able;' western Mass. users offer testimony on impact of accessible trails" by Nancy Eve Cohen There is a Zoom screenshot of Jeremy Dubs, a white disabled man with glasses and red hair testifying before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Underneath are the captioned words, said by Jeremy: "The exclusion that I've experienced so often."
City of Northampton ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan Update
Here is link to Northampton’s ADA Transition Plan which will play a key role in guiding my work as Ward 4 City Councilor as, together, we Reimagine The Wheel.
[image description: this is a screenshot of the ADA Self-Evaluation Plan. Black Text on White reads: City of Northampton ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan Update Prepared by the Northampton Disability Commission 2019.]
Northampton's First Ever Official Proclamation of Disability Pride
It was so special and important sharing space with some of my fellow disabled activists from Northampton, Amherst, and Holyoke to watch the movie Crip Camp and celebrate Northampton's first ever official proclamation of Disability Pride Month. As we all noted, there is still a long way to go.
We still need representation in government.
My campaign is an invitation to you to reimagine what an accessible Northampton could look, feel, act like.
[image description: this is a photo of Jeremy, the Chair of the Disability Commission, and Vice-Chair Emma Cornwell, leading a celebration of Disability Pride Month. They are both seated in their wheelchairs. Emma, a white person with short brown hair, a mask, a striped pink t-shirt, blue jeans, and white converse sneakers, speaks passionately into a microphone. Jeremy, a white man with round glasses, orange hair, a black t-shirt that says "I HATE STAIRS", green jeans, and his legs crossed, watches Emma excitedly.]
Accessible Dining at Spoleto
The manager of Spoleto Restaurant in Northampton and I worked to make Spoleto’s outdoor dining area much more accessible for disabled people. This was an especially important accomplishment during the pandemic when outdoor dining was necessary.
[image description: This is a photo of an outdoor deck of Spoleto restaurant. On top of the deck are inaccessible high top tables and lower, more accessible tables with spaces for wheelchairs and different types of bodies to sit.]
A Ramp to Familiar's Coffee
Familiar’s quickly took my advice when I suggested giving disabled folks the option to request for our coffee/food orders to be brought out to the top of the ramp for pickup. Though they discontinued this access once they began serving food inside, I appreciated the collaboration during the pandemic, and hope to continue it.
[image description: this is a photo of Jeremy, a white man with messy orange hair wearing a green striped sweater and blue jeans. He is smiling and sitting in his wheelchair on the accessible wooden ramp that leads to Familiars Coffee Shop. The sunlight shines nicely on him, his green sweater, and the red tables and umbrellas.]
A Ramp to Roberto's
When I spoke with Roberto’s management about how to make their establishment more accessible, they heeded my advice by building a ramp out front that is still there to this day. Great teamwork, and really great food! Thank you, Roberto's!
[image description: This is a photo of the ramp leading up to Roberto's restaurant. One side of it is surrounded by flowers.]
41 Strong Avenue
(Honey Dispensary, Mulino’s Restaurant, and Bishop’s Lounge)
A true work in progress. It hasn’t been an easy journey bringing accessibility back to 41 Strong Avenue. As a musician and artist who has lived here for a long time, it has been very sad for me to watch a building I have performed in and enjoyed art in become inaccessible. We can enjoy and produce art and value all bodies. I’m currently working with the Disability Law Center and the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board, as well as relying on support from members of our community, to see a happy and just ending to this ongoing fight for equal access.
[image description: this is a photo of the back door at 41 strong ave. It is a red door with a black sign with yellow letters that read: DO NOT ENTER. LIMITED ACCESS AREA. ACCESS LIMITED TO AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY]
Snow Removal and Safe Sidewalks for All
For the past few years, I have been vocal about the need for better snow removal in the winters, as well as the need to improve the dangerous sidewalk areas in Northampton. This prompted me to join the Disability Commission of the City of Northampton, to make a change. We have seen a good deal of progress, with still much work to do. I believe that every body has the right to access our city streets safely in all seasons.
[image description: this is a photo of Jeremy, a white man with an orange beard, wearing a red winter hat, warm gloves, and a green puffy coat. He sits in his wheelchair on a cleared snowy sidewalk, smiling.]
Chairing the Disability Commission of Northampton
I was elected to be Chair of the Disability Commission and was recently re-elected for the third time. This commission is an advisory body of the city. I will remain in this position until I become City Councilor.
[this is a photo of Jeremy, the Chair of the Disability Commission, and Vice-Chair Emma Cornwell, leading a celebration of Disability Pride Month. They are both seated in their wheelchairs. Emma, a white person with short brown hair, a mask, a striped pink t-shirt, blue jeans, and white converse sneakers, speaks passionately into a microphone. Jeremy, a white man with round glasses, orange hair, a black t-shirt that says "I HATE STAIRS", green jeans, and his legs crossed, watches Emma excitedly.]
[This is a drawing of a person in a wheelchair, the universal symbol for disability, holding a heart.]
Hiring Committee for the Current Director of
Planning & Sustainability
I was appointed by the mayor to the Hiring Committee for the current Director of Planning and Sustainability. I was pleased that we chose the candidate who was most knowledgeable and passionate about the Northampton ADA Transition Plan.
The Disableist Movement
I Worked with fellow disabled residents along with our allies to organize a march and rally for the rights of all disabled people on April 23, 2022. It was a day of celebration for people with disabilities, creating a platform for us to share our stories and our ideas for creating a more accessible, less ableist society. We call it Disableism. Our mission is to shut down - or disable - ableism, wherever and whenever we see it, feel it, experience it.
[Photo of Disableist movement activists Jeremy Macomber-Dubs and Olivia Marshall in front of the the train station in Northampton, initiating the rally for the rights of all disabled people. Jeremy shouts into a microphone, reading from a piece of paper. Olivia looks on, looking very cool with blue hair and fierce sun glasses. Both sit in their power wheelchairs. Photo taken for the Northampton Gazeette by Sabato Visconti.]
Thornes Market/Herrell's Ice Cream
I made the staff, managers, and public aware of a glaring, unsafe inaccessibility regarding disabled people’s ability to enter and exit Herrell’s after 7pm, and have been working with management of Thornes to create a safe and realistic solution to the problem. This is a work in progress! We’ll keep you posted.
**UPDATE: Judy Herrell is interested in making a sign for their window that explains to people where the accessible entrance is located (inside Thornes on floor L1). I assisted her with the wording of the sign, and I am always excited when a business owner is proactive about accessibility. I appreciate this ongoing conversation, and hope for more dialogues and action in Northampton like this. Thank you so much, Judy.
🍦🍦
[This is a photo of Jeremy sitting in his wheelchair in front of the inaccessible entrance of Herrell's Ice Cream holding a strawberry ice cream cone. He is smiling.]
[This is a drawing of a person in a wheelchair, the universal symbol for disability, holding a heart.]
Pines Theater/Look Park
I worked with DSP Shows to help Pines Theater in Look Park, Florence, expand their ADA seating, which gives disabled people the option to sit up at the front of the stage rather than at the back of the theater, and to enjoy a safe, more accessible place to enter, exit, and park their vehicles.
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