Our 2022 L.A. Abilities Expo Experience
The Troy Tech team is freshly back from the L.A. Abilities Expo, where we were able to make so many connections, discover new thought leaders in the differently-abled community, and meet so many of the movers and shakers who are raising awareness and solving problems for individuals with limited mobility.
It was so exciting to see how people responded to our products at the conference — especially the KZI Electric Chair from our Daily Living line!
We met an elderly gentleman who shared with us that he hasn’t visited his daughter in New York in years because her hallways are too narrow for his chair, and he was thrilled to see the slim silhouette of the KZI and how it could make it possible for him to see his family again.
We also met an eighteen-year-old in a hemi-height wheelchair who’d expressed discomfort in his chair, telling us that when he goes home at the end of the day and just wants to play his video games, his chair is too uncomfortable to allow for that. We were so glad to introduce him to our KZI chair that could allow for him to actually be comfortable and enjoy his hobbies.
Of course, for as much as we worked to teach people about Troy Tech, we did our share of learning as well! We met influencers like Miss Wheelchair America 2022 Christine Burke and Miss Wheelchair California 2019 Angela Piazza, and we were so impressed with the connection and community building they encouraged throughout the expo.
We also discovered inspiring non-profits like Paralyzed Veterans of America, which is the only organization geared specifically toward veterans with spinal injuries, ALS, or MS. They do lots of advocacy at both the state and national level, and they provide financial support for veterans who need to purchase chairs or remodel their homes for accessibility.
The Free Wheelchair Mission was also there, and we learned about their methods of providing wheelchairs in third-world countries. We discovered that they’ve lowered the cost of wheelchairs to $57 per chair with no extra cost for delivery, and they have provided 1.3 million chairs across 93 countries.
The L.A. Abilities Expo is always a great opportunity for those who are differently-abled to come together in a fully understanding community, and for those who are not differently-abled to gain better insight into what an accessible community really is. There was so much innovation and inclusivity across the expo, and we were so proud and excited to be part of it!