Disabled to the Front Advisory Group
Disabled to the Front is a group working to advise the Night Mayor and other leaders to promote disabled people’s access to nightlife in Nashville and beyond.
Image Description: This image says "Disabled to the Front" on the left in large letters and depicts Dr. Cyn using their rolling walker on the right. Their mohawk is up and they are smiling and the image implies motion to the right. The artwork is white line drawings on a blue background.
Join the Disabled to the Front Advisory Group
by scanning the QR code or clicking the link to complete the webform.
You may join the Advisory Council, which is disabled people conducting monthly business meetings to support decision-making, the Advisory Group, which is disabled people who do not want to do business meetings, but they do want to be invited to our social mixers, other events, and survey opportunities; or the Ally Group, which is for the non-disabled that support us and want to stay engaged with our group or sponsor our events.
There is also a Facebook Group you may join to help plan nights out among people with disabilities. This group is private and for people with disabilities only, and the caregivers that support them, to share info about events and to make arrangements to participate in nightlife.
“Disabled to the Front - Nashville Nightlife” https://www.facebook.com/groups/1322425929024439
Disabled to the Front Advisory Council members celebrate at Jasper’s restaraunt on West End in Nashville, on September 25, 2025 to celebrate the passage of Resolution RS2025-1503 by the Metro City Council. They were joined by guests including Council Member Sandy Ewing who sponsored the resolution, the outgoing Chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities Mary Griffin, and our pals from NaviLens.
Mission, Vision, and Goals:
Download our PDF info sheet here.
Mission:
To coordinate an Advisory Group comprised of people with disabilities and their allies to promote disabled peoples’ access to nightlife in Nashville and beyond.
Vision:
We envision a Nashville that consistently demonstrates pride in welcoming people with disabilities and ensuring their equal and safe access to nightlife throughout the city, and for Nashville to become an exemplary destination known world wide for supporting disabled people’s access to nightlife.
We believe:
Nightlife is an important component of a person’s social life and people with disabilities deserve equal opportunity to engage in nightlife activities. Nightlife establishments fall under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and must make reasonable accommodations to be accessible to people with disabilities.
People with disabilities want to engage in nightlife, but may face barriers such as:
Limited ADA transportation, parking, curb cuts, & safe rideshare drop-off spots
Poorly designed ramps, doorways, thresholds, bathrooms, counters, and bars
Stigma, misplaced concern, caregiver control, and/or limited peer supports
Anxiety & stress about money and/or accommodation requests not being met
Fear of humiliation, shame, assistive devices being taken, and personal injury
Establishments can do these things to help promote accessible nightlife:
Ensure an ADA contact is on website, respond to messages, follow through
Ensure website & ticket link meets WCAG & ADA standards for accessibility
Ensure things do not block walkways such as signs or garbage bins
Do not put us in the back, protect line of sight from all ADA seating areas
Do a self-assessment of your facility (https://www.adachecklist.org/checklist.html)
Ensure staff are trained (At Your Service: https://courses.myadalearning.org/courses)
Things Disabled to the Front are working on to serve people with disabilities:
Facilitating social networks, opportunities, and events for disabled nightlife
Partnering to improve ADA supports in Nashville’s nightlife venues
Preparing a State of Access to Nightlife report & strategic plan for change
For the purpose of this group, "nightlife" is defined as any public activity where people engage in recreation during nighttime hours. This includes music venues, restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, sporting events, and any other public setting where people congregate to relax and have fun at night.
Need to get educated about #DisabiliityJustice and #DisabilityPride? Check out this curated playlist and Subscribe YouTube.com/@Dr.Cyn.GraduatesRise
Newsletter coming soon!
Press about Disabled to the Front
Read this piece written by Dirk Strider for Issue 124 of Breaking Ground, published quarterly since 1990 by the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities. https://www.tn.gov/cdd/engage-with-us/breaking-ground/breaking-ground-124.html
Read this piece written by Sonali Gupta with the Disabled Journalists Association titled “Disabled to the Front: Nashville’s Punk Professor Redefines Access and Joy.”
Check out this story featuring Dr. Cyn and Disabled to the Front (9/17/2025)
Listen in to public comments made by Dr. Cyn representing Disabled to the Front, speaking to Metro City Council in support of Resolution 1503 which urges Nashville to conduct a city-wide audit of ASA supports (9/16/2025)
Check out this story on Disabled to the Front by Channel 5 News (2/18/2025)
Check out this story from the Nashville Scene about Disabled to the Front.
Past Events of Disabled to the Front:
Check out Dr. Cyn speaking about Disabled to the Front at the Association of Independent Colelges of Art & Design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY on Friday, Nov 14, 2025.
Check out Dr. Cyn speaking about Disabled to the Front at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting in Denver, CO on Friday, Oct 24, 2025.
Dr. Cyn spent October 2025 working with Drkmttr to create an ADA area for Drkmttrfest 2025!!! This includes Drkmttr being the first music venue in Nashville to post NaviLens codes for the blind and low vision community.
Happy 10th birthday to Drkmttr! We thank you for always valuing inclusivity and going above and beyond to promote ADA accessibility for your shows! Learn more about Drkmttr. And get your tickets to Drkmttrfest 2025 here!
Drkmttrfest occurs Oct 17-19, 2025.
On September 25, 2025, Disabled to the Front visited the Nashville Zoo with our pals from NaviLens, Frank Taylor and Emily Weber. We met with Jim Bartoo, Director of Marketing and PR for the Zoo to discuss how NaviLens might promote accessibility at the zoo.
On September 16, 2025, Dr. Cyn provided public comments in support of Resolution RS2025-1503, which encouraged the city to conduct a city-wide audit of ADA accessibility supports. The resolution was sponsored by Council Member Sandy Ewing and passed unanimously by the Council.
On July 22, 2025, Disabled to the Front hosted NaviLens to visit Nashville. Our session was attended by various community partners and hosted by 5th and Broadway. Afterwards, the group toured Broadway, visited Jon Bon Jovi’s Rooftop bar, and ate dinner at the Twelve Thirty Club.
Disabled to the Front Advisory Council members were welcomed to tour Assembly Food Hall and Skydeck on May 13, 2025. We then met with the Director of Security to discuss ways to promote accessibility at 5th and Broadway in Nashville, TN.
Image Description: Disabled to the Front and friends from the National Federation of the Blind party at Lou/Na at the Grand Hyatt on March 18, 2025. The group had just completed an iPhone skills training event hosted at Tennessee State University.
Check out this live performance of In Love by Dr. Cyn and the Graduates Rise from the Jann 18, 2025 Launch Party for the Disabled to the Front Advisory Group held at East Side Bowl. Learn More here.
Image Description : The image is the official show poster. It is a large black rectangular poster with brightly colored text in neon pink, green, yellow, and blue. The poster reads: You are invited! Please come to Dr. Cyn’s Birthday Party and the launch party for the Disabled to the Front Advisory Group, a new committee of the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife where Dr. Cyn serves as the Chair working to promote disabled people’s access to nightlife in Nashville, TN. Featuring performances by disabled artists including: Dr. Cyn and the Graduates Rise, Cha Cha Heels, and Stone Deep. Pictures of each band and their logos are shown. The poster also reads Come meet Nashville’s Night Mayor Benton McDonough, and his picture is also shown. The poster also reads Free!! Please come prepared to learn about and donate to: Red Frogs USA, Safe Bar, Save TSU Community Coalition, and Women’s March Tennessee, this event is the official after party for the 2025 Women’s March. Logos for each of these organizations are shown. Bring ear protection! Bring money for shoe rental ($3), food, drinks, games, and be sure to tip your servers please! Live stream at www.youtube.com/@Dr.Cyn.GraduatesRise. Event details: Saturday, January 18, 2025, East Side Bowl – 1508 Gallatin Pike, 5 pm bowling, 6 pm doors, 7 pm music, All ages, under 18 accompanied by a parent/guardian. The East Side Bowl logo and website are shown at the bottom, www.EastSideBowl.com, along with a QR code where you can sign up to be a part of the Disabled to the Front Advisory Group, https://bit.ly/DisabledToTheFront RSVP to secure your FREE ticket: https://www.seetickets.us/event/the-58-dr-cyn-and-the-graduates-rise/632665
Sometime in fall of 2024, Cyn asked a group of her disabled friends what they thought was most important for her to do to support the disabled community. Cyn’s friend Amelia Rhoem spoke up and said something to the effect of, “Cyn, there are people working to train me to use technology to work, to read braille, to self advocate, and to prepare for disasters, but I just want to PARTY!!” to which Dr. Cyn replied “I CAN DO THAT!!!!” Shortly thereafter, Dr. Cyn met the Night Mayor, Benton McDonough and approached him to ask if they could start an Advisory Group to support disabled people’s access to nightlife. He replied YES!!! And shortly thereafter Disabled to the Front was officially born! Hooray!
Dr. Cyn and Amelia at Jon Bon Jovi’s rooftop bar on Broadway in Nashville, TN.
Download the logo here.