Miami Beach advocate and author R. David New described surviving an AIDS diagnosis and spinal meningitis during a conversation with The Miami Book Hub, according to a column posted by Miami Community Newspapers. The illness left him blind, and he later regained his hearing and relearned how to walk.
New told the host that his family carried him through months in hospitals. His mother pushed for his care and urged him for years to write his story, and his father stayed at his bedside. New’s memoir, “The Unthinkable: Turning Tragedy into Triumph,” grew out of that push. He chose to self-publish after struggling to get replies from agents and publishers.
Back in South Beach, New found that crossing busy streets was difficult. He joined the city’s disability access committee, later chairing it, and his advocacy helped bring audible pedestrian signals to Miami Beach. He also helped organize a disability awareness event that let elected officials experience getting around the city with a disability.
New runs Power Access and the South Beach Jazz Festival, where he has pushed for live audio descriptions for visually impaired audiences. A developing program called “Feel the Music” would let deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors feel musical vibrations through a specially equipped box.
New has a book talk scheduled at Books & Books on Nov. 30. Details are at RDavidNew.com.
