The Unthinkable, Turning Tragedy into Triumph|An Evening with R. David New

🎟 This event is FREE and open to the public and books will be available for purchase the night of the event! An RSVP grants general entry, but seating is not guaranteed, so please try and show up early. Please RSVP only if you intend to join us. Can't make the event? Buy your copy here.

About The Book

Struck by a devastating diagnosis and sudden blindness, one man is forced to remake not only his life, but his very sense of self. This memoir follows his passage through paralysis, recovery, work, family, and public struggle, charting how loss can become a fierce education in dignity. Told with wit, candor, and hard-earned wisdom, it shows blindness reshaping ambition, love, masculinity, and belonging. Out of private hardship he builds a life of uncommon purpose-advocating for access, creating inclusive spaces, shaping public change, and proving that resilience is not mere survival, but the art of rebuilding with intelligence, grace, and enduring resolve.

About The Author

R. David New is an accessibility advocate, nonprofit leader, podcaster, and founder of the SouthBeach Jazz Festival, an internationally recognized event that celebrates world-class music andthe talents of artists with disabilities. As President of Power Access, Inc., he has dedicated hiscareer to advancing inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunity in the arts and beyond.

David's life changed dramatically after a sudden illness left him blind, paralyzed, and facing an AIDS diagnosis. Through years of rehabilitation, determination, and advocacy, he rebuilt his life, regained his ability to walk, and transformed personal adversity into a mission of service.

His work has helped shape accessibility initiatives in cultural institutions, public spaces, and community programs throughout South Florida and across the United States.

A frequent speaker on disability inclusion and the arts, David also hosts the podcast AccessGranted with R. David New, where he interviews leaders, artists, and advocates working to create a more accessible world.

In this memoir, David shares his remarkable journey of loss, resilience, love, activism, and purpose—offering a powerful reminder that while life may change in an instant, the human spirit can endure, adapt, and thrive.

David lives in South Florida with his beloved Labrador retrievers and continues to champion a future where access and opportunity belong to everyone.