Standup Comedian and Wheelchair User Runs for Mayor

posted on Dec 18 by Stacy in the Disability News, Wheelchair Accessibility category

Jonah Bascle, who is best known as a standup comedian, is running for mayor of New Orleans. He is also a wheelchair user.  His goal is to make New Orleans handicapped accessible, and he considers it a high priority because it wouldn’t take a lot of money to solve the problem.   Born and raised in New Orleans, Jonah Bascle had a hard time attending high school because none of the schools were handicapped accessible, but he eventually got his GED and went on to the University of New Orleans.  Accessibility issues continued after college, especially with city services.  Bascle thinks the only way to get something done is to run for mayor, and his platform is equal access. He considers the lack of wheelchair access on the older cars of the St. Charles streetcar line to be one of the biggest challenges, but one that can be solved without spending any money.