A partially paralyzed Denver city councilman was forced to lift himself out of his wheelchair and onto a debate stage – sparking a call for equal access after video of the moment spread in the news and on social media.
Denver City Council member Chris Hinds, a Democrat who is paralyzed from the chest down, was seen in the video hoisting himself onto the stage floor at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre because the stage did not have wheelchair access.
While the theater later apologized, Hinds said he was humiliated by the experience, which happened Monday in front of dozens of onlookers.
Denver City Council member Chris Hinds showed up for a debate at a local theater ahead of an upcoming election.
…but there was no way for Hinds, who is paralyzed from the chest down, to get onto the raised stage and join the other participants. pic.twitter.com/o8RwQ6Mz1G
— Ryan Shead (@RyanShead) February 18, 2023
Hinds said in a statement Wednesday that he was “incredibly disappointed and disheartened” by the lack of wheelchair access for the City Council debate.
“The unfortunate and humiliating experience I had has elevated the conversation about accessibility to the national stage,” he said in another statement Friday.
My response to the outpouring of support from the community and beyond. pic.twitter.com/9Q79cD5hS4
— ChrisForDenver (@ChrisForDenver) February 17, 2023
Hinds told USA Today that debate organizers had initially suggested lifting him onto the stage, but he said he responded that his wheelchair weighs 400 pounds alone and that he weighs “almost another 200.”
“And they said, ‘All right, well how about you get out of the wheelchair and we’ll just lift the chair up?'” Hinds recalled. “They gave me a chair that I could cling on to so I’m not just laying on stage.”
“I felt like a circus monkey,” he said. “Just there on display for everyone to do whatever.”
Hinds, who is running for reelection, said the organizers eventually decided to have the debate in front of the stage.
He posted a campaign video about the incident on Saturday.
“You may have seen me in the news recently for an incident that brought accessibility to the national stage,” he said in the video. “Democracy should be representative of all the people. … Everyone deserves access to housing, transportation and representation.”
Please join me in my fight for access for all!
Check out my website https://t.co/3AXTuu4DEN to learn more!#letsroll #rollingforoffice pic.twitter.com/NOmnUZMWk8
— ChrisForDenver (@ChrisForDenver) February 19, 2023
