Disability

7 Tips for Making Camping Accessible for People with Disabilities

October 25, 2024 by Carle Monique

Maria Pendolino is an award-winning voiceover actor and outdoor RV-ing enthusiast who has found a way to make camping more accessible despite living with psoriatic arthritis. When she’s done voicing commercials, promos, and documentaries in her voiceover booth, she enjoys visiting state and national parks with her husband Eric and her nieces and nephews. Whether you call it camping or glamping the outdoors *can* be accessible to everyone with just a little research, support, and effort.

Here are Maria’s top seven tips for making outdoor adventures accessible and enjoyable for everyone, especially people with disabilities.

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1. Choose the Right RV or Tent Layout

Look for an RV or tent setup that prioritizes accessibility, or that is more customizable. Opt for models with wider doorways, existing ramps/ramp add-ons, and easy-to-access sleeping areas. Many RVs, like those by Thor Motorcoach, can be customized to suit your needs. Speak with a sales rep at a local RV dealership about what might be possible both before and after purchase.

2. Rent Before You Buy

Motorhome parked

If you’re new to camping or RV travel, consider renting equipment for your first trip to ensure that the layout and features accommodate your specific needs and disabilities. Renting allows you to test different setups to find the one that best supports your comfort and accessibility needs, making for a more enjoyable and stress-free outdoor adventure. It’s amazing how many different configurations there are for both RVs and tents/accessories. Try before you buy is a great way to make sure that you’re not left with an expensive purchase that you’re unable to use to the fullest.

3. Customize for Comfort

Consider adding modifications like handrails, person lifts, or even bidets in RVs for added comfort, hygiene, and mobility ease. Again, there may be more options than you think! Also, for RV users, be sure to test out the restroom facilities before purchasing a unit. Some RVs have a full 3 piece bathroom, others have a water closet for the toilet, with shower and sink separate. Depending on your needs and range of motion, one may be more preferable for you over another!

4. Opt for Accessible Campsites

Guy sitting on a motorized wheelchair going through a park Look for campgrounds that offer designated accessible sites with amenities like paved pathways, wheelchair-accessible restrooms, and picnic tables designed for ease of use. To make sure the campground truly meets your needs, consider contacting the local park ranger office or checking user-submitted photos and reviews, as they can provide valuable insights into the site’s accessibility features. (Google Maps has a lot of mobility-specific feedback that you can search!) This extra research can help ensure a comfortable and enjoyable outdoor experience. Also, keep an eye on improvements that are being made over time, especially as county, state, and national parks continue to make improvements and complete renovations.

5. Pack Essential Mobility Aids

Ensure your trip is comfortable by packing essential aids like folding cots, portable ramps, or supportive seating to enhance accessibility at your campsite. If you end up purchasing your own RV unit or tent & camping kit, you may find it’s easiest to just duplicate your favorite aids from home.

6. Plan for Accessible Outdoor Activities

Beach walk with a Wheelchair

Many parks provide accessible recreational options, including beach and water wheelchairs or beach mats designed for wheeled devices and easier walking. These amenities make it easier for everyone to enjoy the natural surroundings fully. Be sure to call ahead to confirm the availability of these options, as they may be limited or require advance reservations. As an example, check out the awesome Mobi Mat that is installed at Hamlin Beach State Park outside of Rochester, New York.

7. Prioritize Comfort During Sleep

For tent camping, using a folding cot with an air mattress can improve sleep quality and make it easier to get in and out of bed, especially for those with mobility issues. For RV users, be sure to test out different bed height configurations and layouts. Sometimes beds are tucked into corners in units that make it difficult for those with mobility challenges to get in and out of.

A Message for RV Manufacturers:

Engineer fixing a Wheelchair

When designing accessible RVs, talk directly to disabled individuals about what they need, rather than assuming. Understanding the real challenges disabled campers face can improve design and functionality. Maria loves her Thor Motorcoach “Vegas” RV, which has made her outdoor adventures accessible and enjoyable, but there’s always room for improvement in making RVs even more adaptable for all.

Maria Pendolino and Technoableism

July 27, 2024 by Carle Monique

Recently, Maria Pendolino received glowing feedback from Audiofile for her narration of Dr. Ashley Shew’s collection of essays Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement, which is available on Audible. The review highlighted Maria’s skill in delivering the technical descriptions and capturing the emotional heart of Shew’s ideas. Her clear and direct narration helped listeners gain a better understanding of new concepts about technology and disability studies.

Journey in Voice Acting

Internationally recognized and award-winning, Maria Pendolino has a signature voice print that has been heard across commercials, promos, documentaries, trailers, narration, animation, video games, telephone systems, radio imaging, e-learning courses, explainer videos, and more. Her youthful tone and delivery resonate with Millennial and Gen Z audiences, the dominant population of the coveted 18-49 demographic.

A performer from a young age, Maria caught the acting bug when she auditioned for a local community production of The Sound of Music at age 11. Her professional career began in New York City, where she worked in musical theatre, television, and film. Audiences may recognize her from Lifetime’s hit drama ARMY WIVES, where she played the moody army wife, Mary Ann. Additionally, she appeared in an episode of LOCKED UP ABROAD for the National Geographic channel and acted opposite Bollywood superstar Sridevi in ENGLISH VINGLISH, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Transitioning to voiceovers in 2010, Maria booked her first spot for a local university in her hometown of Buffalo, NY. Since then, she has recorded thousands of spots, narrations, and projects for clients worldwide.

Championing Inclusivity and Disability Awareness

After moving to New York to pursue her acting career, Maria was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis, prompting a significant shift in her career and lifestyle. Leveraging her platform, she collaborated with other disabled colleagues to create a database that links disabled actors with directors seeking to cast them in roles. As a disabled voice actor, Maria’s journey is a testament to resilience and talent. She uses her platform to advocate for inclusivity and better representation of disabled individuals in media. Her unique perspective enriches her work, making her a sought-after voice in the industry.

Expanding Horizons

In addition to voice acting, Maria loves writing and comedy. She has performed stand-up comedy at Helium Comedy Club and is currently working on her first adult animated comedy pilot. As a commercial voiceover talent, her voice has been featured in campaigns for global brands like Comcast/Xfinity, Dannon, American Express, Hoover, and Panera. You can hear her voice on broadcast & cable television commercials, radio spots, streaming ads on Pandora & Spotify, and pre-roll ads on YouTube, Hulu, and Pluto TV.

In the world of narration, Maria has worked on a variety of documentaries, covering topics from pop culture to true crime. Her corporate work includes narrating business training programs, explainers, how-to videos, and tutorials for software and apps. Her ability to make complex information understandable and approachable is a testament to her versatility.

Animation and Video Games

Bringing characters to life in animation and video games, Maria is a master of accents and vocal placement, capable of performing like a vocal chameleon. She plays the lead character, Prim, in the Prim Adventure Game released in 2022. Her “north star” voiceover goal is to originate a singing animated villain in the style of Ursula the Sea Witch from The Little Mermaid.

Recognition and Awards

Honored to be the telephone system voice for businesses of all sizes, Maria brings a friendly and relatable tone to messages and prompts, keeping customers engaged and informed.

A proud member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) – Buffalo/Niagara Chapter, the Buffalo chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), and the Buffalo Broadcasters Association, Maria has also served on the board of Alleyway Theatre, and as a member of the Rising Champions for Justice with the Erie County Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP).

A two-time Voice Arts Award winner, Maria has received numerous nominations and awards, including the coveted 40 Under 40 Award presented by Biz Journals. In 2021, she won two Reed Awards for excellence in political advertising and was nominated for three One Voice Awards.

Personal Life

Living in Buffalo, NY, with her husband Eric and their four rescue cats—Two Scoops, Mozzarella “Mozzie” Cheese, Nellie, and Panini—Maria enjoys a fulfilling personal life. As a fun fact, Maria and Eric appeared on an episode of HGTV’s hit show House Hunters.

USA Today’s Top 10 Emerging Entrepreneurs of 2023

December 7, 2023 by Maria Pendolino

I’m thrilled to share with you that I’ve been included in USA Today’s list of Top 10 Emerging Entrepreneurs of 2023!

I’m honored to stand alongside such talented changemakers and business owners. This recognition isn’t just a testament to my journey as a voice actor, but a nod to how the arts and humanities can foster an entrepreneurial spirit. As a millennial business owner, I’ve embraced the idea of pursuing my passion and making it financially viable.

I’m no Rihanna, but it’s possible to make the arts financially successful at a smaller scale. I love that I can marry my art and performance talents with my desire to be successful in business and commerce.

It’s surreal that I can support my family doing what I love. Whether it’s voicing video games, political commercials, e-learning, or working on side projects like the Disabled Voice Actors Database, I bring the arts into the everyday. I’ve even narrated numerous documentaries about pop culture icons such as Jim Morrison, Will Smith, Amy Winehouse, Julie Andrews, and Tina Turner.

Like many “overnight successes,” it’s taken me years to get here. I started acting when I was 11 but didn’t earn my first paycheck for acting until I was in college. By my 20s I was living in New York City, as a working actor. I had a recurring role on Army Wives, a role in the Bollywood Film English Vinglish and I even got to be in an episode of National Geographic’s LockedUp Abroad!

But by my early 30s, my escalating psoriatic arthritis led me back to Buffalo. That’s when my career took an unexpected turn into the world of voice acting. Transitioning from on-screen to behind the mic allowed me to pursue my passion in a format – voice over – that allowed me the flexibility I needed.

Do I still miss being in front of a camera? You bet. But this pivot has let me work with global professionals—from directors, to clients, to brands like PG and the NFL—all from my home studio where I can take a break when I need to stretch or soak with Epsom salts after a long day’s work.

It also allows me to collaborate on projects like the Disabled Voice Actors Database, a database for working voice actors who also happen to be people with disabilities. Its goal is to “allow(s) more voice seekers to find qualified disabled voiceover talents for their projects.” More than 100 casting directors, companies, and producers have reached out to have access to the database for their casting needs and more than 500 disabled actors have listed themselves in the database to be found for opportunities.

There’s a lack of representation in the arts, both when it comes to disabled characters and to actors who also have disabilities playing in the available roles. For example, the 2021-2022 GLAAD Where Are We on TV Report, found only 2.8% of primetime TV characters were disabled. Similarly, a 2019 report from the Ruderman Family Foundation found that only 22% of characters with disabilities in 10 shows were also played by actors with disabilities.

This USA Today honor isn’t just a personal win—it celebrates the magic of arts meeting entrepreneurship. It also reminds me of the incredible community I’m part of. Here’s to more adventures at this exciting intersection of creativity and business.

Disabled Voice Actors Database

February 1, 2023 by Maria Pendolino

It’s 2023, and with the New Year comes a new opportunity for me to focus on what is really important. And no, I don’t just mean petting my cats and annoying them as my husband and I cheer loudly for the Buffalo Bills — although that does top my preferred list of activities, no matter the year (sorry kitties). Instead, I’m referencing the passion that I have for supporting my fellow community of voice actors and, more specifically, disabled voice actors.

As some of you may be aware, I live with a disability. When I was only 22 years old, I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, a really painful chronic condition that can affect mobility. At age 32, the pain became so severe that I had to get a double knee replacement.

Though I am grateful to be gainfully employed as a self-sustaining professional voice actor, I can’t ignore that living with a disability makes it harder for me to do what I do. I doubt there’s any easy field for anyone living with a disability. It just so often feels like the world isn’t made for us, period.

Being An Advocate

It dawned on me sometime this year that I am fortunately in a position where I can enact change within my industry. Armed with this know-how and more than a little bit of frustration with how the entertainment industry as a whole can be shrouded in disability erasure and downright ableism, I partnered up with my friend, Nick Germain. He started the first version of the Disabled Voice Actors Database. Together with a volunteer steering committee, we brought it to its current incarnation today. It’s my pleasure to now introduce this database to you!

Introducing the Disabled Voice Actors Database

Truth be told: the idea for the Disabled Voice Actor Database was inspired by the existence of a few already-existing databases that target other communities within the voice acting world, namely the LGBTQIA+ community (QueerVox) and people of color (PGM VO List).

Although the communities that we serve are different, the premise is the same: to help chip away at the inequality that non-white, non-able-bodied, and non-straight voice actors face within their field. Although we’d all like to think of the entertainment world as progressive, the reality is that disabled actors still make less money and get offered fewer roles than their able-bodied counterparts. Disabled actors are also often passed by for roles that center on disabled stories. A popular hashtag on social is #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs.

It’s our hope that the database will give casting directors easy access to a range of very talented voice actors who happen to also live with a disability. I will sleep well at night if I can know that there is no longer an excuse for anyone to ever say they didn’t cast a disabled voice talent in a role because they “couldn’t find someone.”

The Disabled Voice Actors Database originally started out as a spreadsheet, but it wasn’t long before it outgrew this humble abode. Version 2.0 is snazzier and more user-friendly than ever before. Along with Nick, voice actors Satauna Howery, Tony Jackson, Tyler Berman, and Lindsay Sheppard were also instrumental in making this happen. There was also a team of volunteers that worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure the database was functional.

Join Us!

Of course, a small list of voice actors does not make a database, so if you’re a voice actor with a disability, I would love for you to get in touch and join us! Simply access the intake form at disabledvoiceactors.com. The database is free; we only allow vetted casting directors and other professionals to view it. That makes the general public can’t search for you.

One note: if you’re under 18, you’ll need your parent or legal guardian to complete the intake form.

Are You A Casting Director Or Voice Seeker Looking For Disabled Talent?

Hey! Nice to have you here. I’m happy to share some tips on navigating the disabled voice actor database to send you on your merry way.

First, go to disabledvoiceactors.com. You’ll see a section called “Voice Seeker Access Request.”
Fill out your information. The more info you’re able to provide, the easier it will be for our amazing team of volunteers to vet you and grant you access to the database.
Once you’ve been approved, you’ll receive unique login credentials that you can use to access the database.
Start perusing and find your next amazing voice talent hire!

Anyone with questions about the database can reach out to disabledvoiceactors@gmail.com, and we’ll help you. As always, thanks for listening and for following along

Maria Pendolino is a professional voice actor with more than a decade of experience. She also happens to be disabled. Her highly-recognizable cheery voice can be heard from your car radios, televisions, and computer speakers. Brands that have chosen Maria as their voice acting representative include Dannon, Geico, Panera, and many others. Maria is passionate about helping her community both on and offline and feels strongly about building a better industry (and the world) for anyone living with a disability.