Paralyzed Councilman Chris Hinds forced to crawl onto debate stage with no wheelchair ramp
A handicapped Denver councilman says he was left humiliated after being forced to crawl onto a stage to take part in an election debate because the venue hosting the event did not have a ramp.
Councilman Chris Hinds, who represents Denver’s 10th District, has been using a wheelchair since 2008, when he was involved in a crash that paralyzed him from the chest down.
He was elected to public office in 2019 and is seeking re-election to a second term.
On Monday night, Hinds arrived at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theater in Denver to face off against his three challengers in a debate, only to discover that the stage was not wheelchair-accessible.
In an interview with local news outlet Denverite, Hinds said a staffer at the venue told him they were not aware that the councilman used a wheelchair.
A plan was formulated on the spot to lift Hinds — along with his power wheelchair, weighing hundreds of pounds — onto the stage.
When the maneuver didn’t work, Hinds attempted to crawl onto the stage and prop himself against a chair in full view of the audience.
“What was going through my mind is, how do I remain composed?” Hinds told the station KDVR. “I’m about to start a debate, I’m about to do my best to share with the people who are in front of me why I am the best candidate. Meanwhile, I am out of my wheelchair, laying on the stage.”
After about 15 minutes, the candidates and the organizers of the event decided to move the debate to the floor in front of the stage.
Had Hinds declined to take part in Monday’s debate, citing a lack of accessibility, under local laws he would have had to forfeit $125,000 in campaign financing.
“It was a choice between my campaign’s viability or my dignity,” he told the Denver Post.
Denver City Clerk Paul Lopez said that in order to be eligible to host a debate, the venue submitted an application requiring it to comply with all federal, state and local laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) — a civil rights law adopted in 1990 that prohibits discrimination based on disability.
“No one should have that experience, and I have apologized to Councilman Hinds personally,” López said. “Our office continues to communicate with all debate sponsors to ensure that they can fulfill ADA requirements and other needs.”
A spokesperson for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre said in a statement that event organizers had reviewed all logistics ahead of the debate but received no requests for special accommodations from any of the candidates when communicating with them before the event.
All the candidates also were asked to arrive at the venue early, according to the rep.
Hinds disputed the theater spokesperson’s narrative, denying that the venue had reached out to him or his aides ahead of the debate to discuss accessibility or early arrival.
“I don’t know how that’s a legitimate response,” Hinds said. “I shouldn’t have to ask them to follow the law. It is insulting to me that they are asking for me to go above and beyond and go out of my way … to make sure that their space is legally compliant.”
Malik Robinson, the theater’s executive director, said the venue is ADA-complaint, but its stage has “limitations.”
“Our stage is home to performers of all abilities,” Robinson said in a statement. “We understand the stage limitations, and plan in advance necessary accommodations prior to events. We are working diligently on a long-term solution.”
Hinds has been advocating for the expansion of accessibility in Denver even before his election to the city council. In 2018, then-Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the Chris Hinds Act into law, improving parking for people with disabilities.
Hinds said he would like his recent experience, which he described as a “public humiliation,” to become a teachable moment and lead to more public places becoming ADA-compliant.
“The lesson that I hope people learn from this is: We should be in an inclusive society,” Hinds said. “The government should be representative of all the people, not just those that are convenient to represent.”
