Power Access, Inc.

R. David New founded Power Access, Inc. in 2010 in response to the lack of cultural programming for and by people with disabilities. David was an interior designer and had a passion for art and design before becoming blind due to illness. The first program Power Access presented in 2010 was Ability Explosion, a Disability Awareness Day, with the City of Miami Beach Disability Access Committee. In 2016, we presented the first annual South Beach Jazz festival in order to bring the message of disability awareness to the wider community. David's vision for the festival was that "each musical performance will showcase the artistry of at least one person with a disability. The sheer talent of the artists will promote the festival's dual goal, to entertain, and to define others by ability rather than disability. The festival is all about bringing our community together through the universal sound of music."

The annual South Beach Jazz Festival, presented by Power Access, Inc., takes place in Miami Beach, a local leader in ADA accessibility, over three days in January and features renowned musicians, who have various disabilities. Jazz, as a genre, has traditionally been accepting of a wide variety of demographics. The goal of the festival is primarily to enable artists to be recognized for their abilities and not their disabilities. This year's festival will be slightly different than in years past. However the sounds of jazz will still permeate Miami Beach and we will be able to reach an even greater audience through technology. Events will take place on Lincoln Road, in Lummus Park and at the North Beach Bandshell and will be live-streamed and recorded. We hope to reach an even larger audience this year.