“The withdrawal of Becca Meyers, a swimmer who is deafblind, from the 2021 Paralympic Games due to being denied the right to have a dedicated support person to assist her as she navigated the Tokyo and Olympic venues is both heartbreaking and extremely discouraging. Not only does this have an immediate and devastating impact on her athletic career; this sends a clear message that it is acceptable to deny people who are deafblind, blind or deaf the basic support systems that enable them to compete on a level playing field; be it in sports, educational opportunities or employment. Becca has said that she is ‘speaking out to effect change because this can’t go on any longer’. At Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind we empower our students and consumers with the belief that their dreams and goals are limitless and today, we join our voices with Becca to continue advocating for access and equal opportunity. You can help by learning about the barriers faced by people who are deafblind, blind or deaf and how you can remove those barriers in your community.” John Mascia, Au.D., President, AIDB