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JWU Professor Designs RI's New Disability Access License Plates

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New Disability Access, RAMP plates designed by Professor Tim Cox 
  
A faculty member in the Design Department at Johnson & Wales University helped design Rhode Island's new disability access license plate and a companion charitable license plate supporting disability advocacy efforts throughout the state. Over the past year, Professor Tim Cox partnered with RAMP (Real Access Motivates Progress), a Rhode Island-based disability advocacy organization, to develop designs for the two plates. The legislation authorizing the plates was recently signed into law by Governor Dan McKee during Disability Pride Month. 

"This project highlights the role design can play in communicating ideas and supporting community initiatives," said Cox. "It was an opportunity to work with RAMP on a project intended to increase visibility and awareness around accessibility issues in Rhode Island." 

Cox, who has used a wheelchair for nearly 40 years, drew on both personal experience and conversations with law enforcement officers while developing the disability access plate design. The proposed plate incorporates stars from the Rhode Island flag surrounding the accessibility symbol, with the state's anchor at the center. Blue stripes extending across the plate represent movement and mobility. The companion charitable plate was designed to support RAMP's advocacy, education and outreach efforts. The design centers on the image of a bridge, representing movement from inaccessibility to accessibility and opportunity. Cox worked closely with Tina Guenette, the founder and CEO of RAMP and their board, who he said “worked tirelessly” on the legislation and advocated for a disabled graphic designer to create them.  

In a press release about the signing, Gov. McKee said the new plates are “more than just license plates. They're a statement that Rhode Island is committed to accessibility, inclusion, and building a state where everyone belongs.”  

The plate designs are currently awaiting final approval from the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. 

About JWU 
Founded in 1914, Johnson & Wales University is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 8,000 graduate, undergraduate and online students at its campuses in Providence, Rhode Island and Charlotte, North Carolina. An innovative educational leader, the university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in arts and sciences, business, food innovation, hospitality, nutrition, and health and wellness. It also offers undergraduate programs in culinary arts, dietetics and design. JWU’s unique model provides students with the personalized attention, academic expertise and industry connections that inspire professional success and personal growth. The time students spend at JWU is nothing short of transformative, as demonstrated by career outcomes, expected earnings and economic mobility rankings. The university’s impact is global, with alumni in 125 countries pursuing careers worldwide. For more information, visit jwu.edu. 

JWU Professor Designs RI's New Disability Access License Plates