A handful of activists pulled off a powerful protest at the Metropolitan Transit Authority Board meeting yesterday. The highlight was the testimony by the cousin of Malaysia Goodson, who died in January after failing down the stairs in the subway to her death while carrying her baby and stroller. Her baby did survive the fall.
First a sidewalk street protest was held in front of the MTA headquarters. The People’s MTA billed it as a rally to honor Malaysia Goodson for International Working Women’s Month. It was co-sponsored by Center for Independence of the Disabled NY, Rise & Resist, UP-STAND and the Peoples Power Assembly. It was chaired by disabled activist, Mary K., and became an impromptu rally to demand elevators in the subway, with significant participation from users of wheelchairs from other groups.
Once the board meeting started, the cousin of Goodson, Dontaysia Turner, gave powerful testimony to the board about how having elevators in the subway would have saved her cousin’s life. Because she arrived a little late to the meeting, the board said she couldn’t speak, even knowing who she was. In a show of solidarity, a scheduled speaker gave up her place to make sure Turner could make her presentation.
This received widespread NYC bourgeois media coverage, see below for only 2 examples, including the revelation that the MTA never reached out to the Goodman family in any way.
Make sure to check out the coverage. You can see more by googling “Dontaysia Turner”.
Contact thepeoplesmta@gmail.com for more information and to get involved. MAKE THE SUBWAYS ACCESSIBLE BECAUSE THEY BELONG TO THE PEOPLE!!!
