Accessibility Info

In attempting to make this abolitionist gathering a practice of living in the world we’re trying to create together, we intend to understand and hope to accommodate the accessibility needs of folks coming. Abolition is deeply interwoven with the struggle for disability justice and the embodiment of community care.

For additional questions and to let us know about your accessibility needs, please email us at FLAbolitionistGathering@RiseUp.net.

Venue Accessibility Audit

Thank you to the work of Radical Access Mapping Project for creating an accessibility auditing tool to help us gather and convey information about all of the gathering spaces.

All sessions will take place in venues that are within downtown Gainesville. Each venue is no more than 0.5 miles away from the other (about a 15 minute walk from each other). There will be a shuttle offering rides between the spaces throughout the weekend.

All venues will have a speaker to amplify sound and some sessions may involve a screen and projector. We ask that folks attending avoid wearing perfumes and other strong smells for our friends that are sensitive to fragrances and chemicals. At the welcome table you will find N95 and KN95 masks and COVID tests, though we encourage you to bring your own if you can. The full sheet detailing the specifics collected about each venue can be found here.

The Civic Media Center (CMC)

The CMC is a radical library and community space and one of the oldest info shops in the country. It is located at 433 S. Main Street. There’s thousands of books lining most of the walls of the space. The most used entrance to the library is through the courtyard which is behind the building along SE 5th Avenue. There are several accessible parking spaces across 5th Avenue and we will mark off the spot closest to the courtyard gate to be an option as well. The courtyard has cobblestone flooring which is uneven in some spots, particularly near the gate entrance. There is also a section of concrete leading to the back room of the CMC (known as the SKA space) that can be used as an accessible entrance if the cobblestone is an issue. There is a sidewalk with appropriate curbcuts leading around the building to the front entrance of the library which is also an option to enter, though the doors can be difficult to open and they swing outwards. There are no steps or stairs to enter or navigate the main spaces. Since the CMC is an old library, there is dust. Since it’s in Florida, there is likely some mold. The building is located next to a fire station so there is occasionally loud sirens and flashing lights that can be seen through the front windows. Additional info:

• The courtyard entrance door is 33 inches wide and 80 inches tall.
  • There is a short hallway from the courtyard entrance to the main library space that is 51 inches wide at its tightest point.
• The front entrance door is 27 inches wide. There are two doors, but only one is typically in use.
• The glass door to enter the Stetson Kennedy Annex (SKA) is 33 inches wide.
  • There is a hallway from the main library space to the SKA that is 36 inches wide at its tightest point.
• Bathroom accessibility notes
  • The bathroom door is 33 inches wide and 81 inches tall.
  • The bathroom is single-stall and gender-neutral.
  • There is a handrail to the left of the toilet.
  • When walking into the library space the bathroom is the door to the immediate right, involving a sharp turn within the hallway entrance.

The How Bazar (HB)

The How Bazar is a worker-owned creative hub, clothing store, and event venue. It is located at 60 SW Second St. The venue is attached to a pay-for-parking garage that has many first floor accessible parking spots and an elevator. There is also parking available in a nearby metered lot which is free on the weekend. There is a tow-away lot across from the HB, steer clear of this as they will boot/tow cars and do so quickly. Main entrance door frame is 35 inches wide and 7 ft tall and the sidewalk leading up to it is a brick sidewalk with a curb cut. The door is not automatic and opens outwards. There is another entrance through a gated (with a latch lock) patio on a brick path as well as a back entrance through the parking garage. Within the space, the venue has smooth flooring with little to no bumps and the space will be set up for ease of access throughout, ensuring proper signage for areas. There are minimal hallways–just a hallway to enter the bathrooms (hallway to bathroom without urinals is 47 inches wide, hallway to bathroom with urinals is 56 inches wide).

The Library – Headquarters Branch

The Library is located at 401 E University Ave. The event space is located on the fourth floor and there are three elevators. The middle elevator of the three is the widest, at 42 inches, and the other two are 34 inches wide. The elevators include braille and tactile buttons, as well as audio cues for when it arrives to the correct floor. There are four automatic sliding doors: two for entry and two for exiting. Once inside the library, the event space on the fourth floor has four sets of double doors, which can be set to remain open. When both doors are open, the clearance is 76 inches wide. Bathrooms will be located on the fourth floor where the event space is located, and there are more on the first floor with the same blueprint as those on the fourth floor.

There is accessibility parking close to the library entrance and a decent sized parking lot, though we encourage folks that can to park in surrounding areas and walk to ensure community members that need to park closer can.

Nightjar

The Nightjar is located at 1628 NW 6th St. There are 9 steps to enter from the back, and 4 steps to enter from the front. There is a handrail on the rear entrance, but none on the front entrance. The FAG team has built a few ramps to try and make the space more accessible as the building was recently bought and needs to still build permanent accessible ramps. Unfortunately, because of the layout of the space none of those ramps are ADA complaint. The ramp on the front of the building is 35 inches wide and will help folks with wheelchairs enter the space, this entrance is visible from 6th St. The parking is in the rear and there are only about 7 spaces available, so please carpool as much as possible or if capable please park in neighboring areas and walk up to the space. The driveway pavement leading to the front stairs is rocky and not flat from tree roots. Inside the space is divided into two leveled sections, we built a small ramp inside to help make the space accessible from one section to the other, this ramp is 42 inches wide and also not ADA complaint. There are two single stall bathrooms, both have a door entry of 22 inches. The back door and hallway entries are 33 inches wide. The are two small single stall bathrooms without grab bars, both have a side counter with sink. If needing additional support entering the space let us know and we can connect you with folks tending the space to help with navigating and entering.

COVID Safety

*As an act of community care, we are requiring masks in all indoor spaces. We refuse to accept the disposability of our disabled and high-risk comrades by not ensuring all venues are COVID-conscious. We also want to acknowledge how this disposability is currently aiding the expansion of the police state through its criminalization of masking. If you are feeling sick or are unwilling to mask, please do not come to FAG.*

• All indoor sessions/events will be masks-required spaces.
  • Masks must be KN95, N95 or another standard equivalent. These masks are the most effective at reducing the transmission rate of potential viruses.
• Masks of different sizes and styles will be available for FREE to anyone attending sessions at each of our venues.
  • Masks will be provided outside of the venue to allow people to mask up before entering the indoor space.
• Each indoor venue will have air purifiers with HEPA (high efficiency particulate arresting) filters to help mitigate the spread of any airborne viruses.
• COVID-19 tests will be available for FREE before and during the events. We will have both rapid tests & a PlusLife device. We encourage you to take a COVID test before, during and after the weekend.
  • Rapid tests are more effective when you take multiple.
• If you are sick, we ask you do not come to the gathering.
• Language on our COVID guidelines and info will be shared at each venue in print for anyone.
• For more information on COVID and why it’s important to take precautions, check out this zine “What’s Up With COVID and How to Protect Yourself” made by Hazel Newlevant.
• Note: The PlusLife is a COVID testing device that is 98% accurate as opposed to the ~35% accuracy in rapid tests for asymptomatic people. For more information on the PlusLife, please see the CMC’s Instagram post.
• Meals will be served outdoors near the CMC. This outdoor space will not be masks required. We will encourage folks to mask outdoors while not actively eating or drinking.