As part of a series of interviews for my dissertation research, I interviewed local disability advocate & and politician Mateusz earlier this year at a cafe in center city. It was a great interview and and he lit up when I mentioned 15-minute cities.
“15-minute city is a very good idea!” he exclaimed, mentioning that some right-wing parties say it will be like a “ghetto,” but he thinks this is ridiculous (agreed Mateusz).
He says it is a good idea when you can do everything you want to in your neighborhood. I ask what he thinks about this concept for disabled people. He replied “You asked about distance and mobility and I said it is not a problem because I have an assistant. But when I do not have an assistant it is very difficult. If I can do everything in 15 minutes and not be tired it is important.“
Mateusz has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair from the moment he wakes up. After that first city center interview he welcomed me to visit him in his neighborhood so we could do a walk and he could show me the aspects of ’15-minute city’ he experiences in his area.
-Annika Lundkvist, Founder at Pedestrian Space
