Thankful Thursday: Local Guides who contribute to accessibility

Connections & celebrations
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Caption: An illustration of two people, one in a wheelchair, sitting at a table drinking coffee.
Caption: An illustration of two people, one in a wheelchair, sitting at a table drinking coffee.3960×1980 210 KB

Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day, a day that aims to spread the word about the need for digital access and inclusion for people with disabilities. On this occasion, we want to give thanks to all the incredible Local Guides who contribute to accessibility on Google Maps and in their community.

You might be adding a note to your reviews about a place’s accessibility features or sharing a photo of a wheelchair ramp or a braille menu. You might be updating the accessibility attributes in the “About” section of a business on Maps or answering accessibility questions. You might be organizing accessibility meet-ups or spreading awareness about the need for equal access to places in your area.

Whatever your contribution, we thank you for it!

One such contributor is @Julietezego , a Local Guides Level 8 from Nigeria. Juliet joined the program after connecting with @EmekaUlor at a local conference and the Federal University of Technology Owerri, where he teaches and she studies.

Caption: A photo of Juliet smiling outside the Mobolaji Johnson Railway Station at Yaba Lagos. (Courtesy of Local Guide @Julietezego)
Caption: A photo of Juliet smiling outside the Mobolaji Johnson Railway Station at Yaba Lagos. (Courtesy of Local Guide @Julietezego)1035×1076 169 KB

“I noticed that, on campus, accessibility is not adequately considered, and this may be the reason many students with disabilities do not go to universities. So when I [became a Local Guide] and saw what the One Accessibility team is doing, I decided to join them to assist my community and school by adding information about accessibility features in my contributions and by creating awareness among fellow students,” shares Juliet.

Juliet likes to add new places on Google Maps, highlighting wheelchair access through her reviews and photos. She says that learning from experienced Accessibility Champions like Emeka, @ErmesT , @ChinonsoOnukwugha , and @Jesi and participating in meet-ups has helped her find her passion and build confidence.

“The Local Guides program has exposed me to various opportunities and networks. I appreciate Emeka’s efforts towards starting the Local Guides community at university and the progress we are making.”

Thank you, Juliet, and everyone who maps accessibility! Do you share accessibility information on Google Maps? Show us your favorite contribution in the comments below.

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Hello @DeniGu

Nice that thankful Thursday has resurfaced again somehow. We don’t know if it has come to stay but we like it. Saying thank you in word or deed is very important. Thank you for featuring these good and active local guides on connect.

Yes !!! Accessibility awareness is very small or even nothing in most west African society. Although we see bits of it in some,but overall its very scanty.

I have have come across some Accessible places alright and commented on them. I also wrote a post on Accessible-NLNG-Boat-Jetty . :point_right:t3: here is my reveiw on accessibility

Haven’t been active enough on accessibility,but I might get to it sometime when the occasion arises.

Congratulations to you all,

@Julietezego remember we met at Google office last year. Nice reading about you here.

@EmekaUlor our able one accessibility chairman kudos

@Jesi keep on imparting on the LG community and thanks

@ErmesT you are so active and energetic, a young man at heart well maybe a little age. Lol. You know I appreciate your input alot

@ChinonsoOnukwugha our last Meet-up in Abuja with you was cool.

Happy guiding

Cheers

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Congratulations Juliet! You have been passionate and committed from day one. I hope you keep guiding even after you graduate.

Thanks for all you do.

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Well done @Julietezego it’s fantastic that you found your passion and as well as helping more students with disabilities go to universities, you are highlighting accessibility in your reviews and photos!

There’s nothing better than learning from our esteemed and experienced Accessibility Champions like @ErmesT, @ChinonsoOnukwugha, @EmekaUlor and @Jesi !!!

ps: I love the illustration cover of your post @DeniGu

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great job @Julietezego Congratulations Thank you @DeniGu

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Hello @DeniGu and @Julietezego ,

happy global accessibility awareness day to everyone! :blush: :wheelchair: :bouquet: :tada:

Congratulations, Juliet! :partying_face: :bouquet: :tada:

Accessibility is a very important topic! :blush: :wheelchair:

When I visit places, I always take photos of elevators and ramps for uploading them on Google Maps. :elevator:

I also write about accessibility features of places in my reviews to inform other Google Maps-users about that. :blush: :sparkles:

I very like the accessibility friendly features in the real world at places, I also very like them also in digitalization. :blush:

For example, voice assistants are very helpful tools for everyone, including for illiterate and visually impaired people. :blush: :probing_cane:

Because they can use the microphone to speak their commands and when the voice assistants are giving their responses by it’s voice, the people can hear it. :star_struck: :+1:t2:

A new very amazing technology has just arrived, the Large Language Models (LLM’s) like Google Bard! :star_struck: :partying_face: :sparkles:

I understand that this is a very new technology which is getting many new features in the future.

I’d love it to have a microphone-button and also also a voice, so the users can speak the prompts and the Large Language Models can read thier answers out loud, so that this awesome new technology can be used also by people with different abilities! :studio_microphone: :blush: :pray:t2:

Thank you very much, Deni for writing this amazing Local Guides Connect-post! :star_struck: :bouquet: :cherry_blossom: :rosette: :wheelchair:

I wish you a great day! :blush:

Many warm greetings from Hamburg, Germany! :grinning: :star2: :de:

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Congratulations @Julietezego

Greatly appreciate your contributions towards accessibility.

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Great contribution @Julietezego , That’s a great point and it’s wonderful to see that you have decided to take action so that people with disabilities are given better access to educational opportunities. Your contributions are making a valuable impact on the lives of those who may have been previously overlooked. Keep up the great work…!

Thank you @DeniGu for this highlight.

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Great work @Julietezego , congratulations! :clap:

Thanks for sharing @DeniGu !

Cheers!

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Congratulation @Julietezego on your success. Hope you will carry this path.

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@DeniGu I am very happy to see that people think of others and are aware that everyone has the right to good accessibility and adequate places to socialize and go to places.

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This is fantastic! Congratulations on the spotlight @Julietezego, so proud of you!

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Hello Team, can you please assist, what’s the procedure to earn the google map badge pin. I am currently at level 7 local guide. Never received the mail for mail for claiming the pin. Or assistant what can I do more to be eligible for it. Thanks

My profile
See what I’ve posted to Google Maps
Level 7 Local Guide

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Thanks to everyone who congratulated me

This journey has been amazing with the assistance of amazing local guides I connected with.

I hope to create more awareness among students about the need for accessibility in my school community.

Cheers.

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