2022
As a Level 10 Local Guide, Jesica Lichtensztein (@Jesi) from Buenos Aires, Argentina has helped many, many people decide where to go through her contributions. She often shares reviews and photos that give a clear picture of what you can expect from a place before you actually get there. Crucially, Jesica also includes accessibility information in her contributions.
“I believe that showing accessibility information on Google Maps can make a great impact in the lives of people that need that information regularly,” Jesica told us. “And because Maps is pretty much the go-to mapping service for millions of people around the world, the accessibility information we add can reach a great number of people that need it.”
In addition to the photos and reviews she shares on Maps, Jesica has shown she is an Accessibility Champion by hosting and participating in many accessibility meet-ups and encouraging others on Connect to do the same. We recently caught up with her to learn more about her passion for helping others with accessibility needs. Check out our interview with her below.
Why are you interested in accessibility?
I became interested in September 2017, when we were encouraged to add accessibility information on Google Maps. That month, @TraciC came to Buenos Aires and organized an accessibility meet-up where, among other things, we watched some videos that showed the difficulties some people face regarding wheelchair accessibility, and how having access to that kind of information on Maps can improve their lives. We then walked through the San Telmo neighborhood, which was mostly not wheelchair accessible.
That month and that meet-up made me realize how unnecessarily hard it can be for some people to move around their cities or, for example, find some restaurant to have dinner. At the same time, I realized how simple it is to make their lives a little easier by adding accessibility information on Maps.
What have you done to help add accessibility information or generate visibility for accessibility information on Google Maps?
I have organized many accessibility meet-ups in my city. One of the accessible meet-ups I have hosted was Accessible Puerto Madero, which took place in one of the most touristic areas of the city. Still, most of it wasn't accessible. After that meet-up, I contacted the organization that makes sure the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is obeyed in my city, letting them know about the problem. I plan to do the same with every similar issue we encounter in the future.
I've organized the first of these meet-ups as part of @EmekaUlor's Worldwide Accessibility Walk, and the following as a One Accessibility member. The One Accessibility team is composed of Local Guides around the globe whose main objective is adding accessible information on Maps and encouraging the decision-makers of our communities to implement policies regarding accessibility. Each of us organizes at least one accessible meet-up a month and we create an Accessibility Uncovered post on a weekly basis.
What area (mobility, vision, hearing, etc.) are you most interested in improving?
I'm interested in improving all areas, but I have been putting more effort in improving mobility. I've also been trying to improve the data regarding vision impairment on Maps. Whenever I come across a restaurant with a Braille menu, I make sure to include that information in my review. I would love if it was common for places to be wheelchair accessible, for restaurants to have Braille menus, and that my country and others that don't implement tactile paving in the streets.
What do you wish other Local Guides knew about accessibility?
I wish other Local Guides knew how effortless it is to add accessibility information on Maps, and how much it can help. I wish everyone knew about the many ways you can contribute accessibility information to the map. To name a few, you can edit places, take photos of a place while focusing on its accessibility (such as entrance, seating area, and bathrooms), write how accessible it is in your review, and use the hashtag #accessible.
What's your favorite Google Maps feature?
Lists are my favorite feature. I mostly use them to organize and share the different kinds of great restaurants in my city and to plan which places to go to while on a trip. I’ve also created other kinds of helpful lists like kid-friendly restaurants and accessible places in an area. I plan to create more lists related to accessibility as I get more information. I always make sure to set every list with a distinctive topic to public, so others can benefit from it.
What's your tip for finding your passion through the Local Guides program?
Just to browse Connect, check what others are sharing, and, if you're interested in any activity, try to do it yourself. You might end up liking it more than you imagined. I probably would have never thought of hosting an accessibility meet-up if I hadn't seen so many successful recaps of the sort before.
Besides accessibility, photography has also become one of my passions after looking at so many amazing photos in posts, and reading photography techniques by both Googlers and Local Guides.
How are you making an impact for people with accessibility needs? Tell us in the comments below!
