February 24, 2022
By:
Fourteen members of the Tennessee House of Representatives got a glimpse of what life in a wheelchair is like firsthand as part of the Team ALeX “Spend a Day in My Wheels” challenge on Wednesday, Feb. 23.
The event, organized by State Rep. Clark Boyd, R-Lebanon, challenged the bipartisan group of lawmakers to spend their workday in a wheelchair. The goal was to help make the world more inclusive by raising awareness about the difficulties that individuals who use assistive mobility devices regularly face.
“This experience has given me a better understanding of the challenges that individuals with disabilities have to overcome every day,” Boyd said. “Everything from opening doors to navigating around my office became more difficult when I was in a wheelchair. I appreciate my colleagues for participating in this effort to raise awareness about the importance of accessibility for everyone.”
“Spend a Day in My Wheels” was the idea of 16-year-old Alex Johnson, a tenth grader at Friendship Christian School in Lebanon, who approached Boyd about hosting the challenge with some of his colleagues in the General Assembly. The first event was held on Capitol Hill in 2020, but was cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic.
A rare skeletal disorder left Johnson dependent on a walker before later confining him to a wheelchair in elementary school. He developed the idea for the challenge while in fifth grade as a way to help his classmates experience the world from his perspective.
“Until you’re in this situation, you don’t really think about counters being just too high or hallways being narrow or bathrooms not really being accessible even though they are labeled as that,” Johnson said. “I hope that those who participated see that change needs to happen and hopefully help that go through.”
The Permobil Foundation in Lebanon partnered with Team ALeX to provide wheelchairs for the challenge.
Members of the Tennessee House of Representatives who participated in the event included: State Rep. Clark Boyd, R-Lebanon, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, State Rep. Rebecca Alexander, R-Jonesborough, State Rep. Rush Bricken, R-Tullahoma, State Rep. Michele Carringer, R-Knoxville, State Rep. Jesse Chism, D-Memphis, State Rep. Tandy Darby, R-Greenfield, State Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Nashville, State Rep. Rusty Grills, R-Newbern, State Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland, State Rep. Chris Hurt, R-Halls, State Rep. London Lamar, D-Memphis, State Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County and State Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville.
Clark Boyd represents House District 46 which includes all of Cannon and part of Wilson and DeKalb counties. He serves as chairman of the Business and Utilities Subcommittee and is also a member of the Banking and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee, Commerce Committee, Health Committee and Subcommittee, Transportation Committee and Subcommittee and the Joint Fiscal Review Committee.