June 23, 2026
Whether he’s expanding voting resources in Braille, strengthening partnerships across New York City’s disability community, or helping lead an Employee Resource Group he founded, Luke’s work is guided by a simple belief: everyone deserves to feel included.
Accessibility Starts with Inclusion
As Senior Accessibility Coordinator, Luke’s role focuses on two key areas: building relationships with disability community organizations across the city and ensuring accessibility is embedded into NYC Votes programs from the very beginning.
“Accessibility as a foundation” is how Luke describes the approach. Rather than adding accommodations after the fact, he works to ensure presentations, workshops, events, and outreach efforts are designed with accessibility in mind from day one.
The work is deeply personal: "I don’t ever want anybody to feel like they’re alone, or they’re not included, or that they’re a bother just because they want to participate in something everybody else does. Whether that’s school, democracy, sports, or anything else."
Growing up navigating the challenges of living with dyslexia and asthma, Luke often felt excluded from experiences many others took for granted. Those experiences continue to shape his perspective today.
I don’t ever want anybody to feel like they’re alone, or they’re not included, or that they’re a bother just because they want to participate in something everybody else does. Whether that’s school, democracy, sports, or anything else.
Luke with the team at the Deaf Asian Street Festival.
That perspective guides his work at NYC Votes.
“When people are routinely left out of elections, it becomes very easy for government to ignore their problems,” Luke explained. “Making sure people have access to information and access to vote is [essential to] everything else."
Turning Accessibility into Action
Over the years, Luke has helped advance several accessibility initiatives at NYC Votes, but one project stands out.
He played a key role in creating the agency’s first Braille voter materials, helping visually impaired voters access the information they needed in the format that was most accessible to them. That process included hand-embossing hundreds of Braille palm cards and transporting them across the city to ensure partners received this important election information.
He acknowledged the gratitude he felt from community members as a result of this initiative but downplayed his efforts and instead turned the attention to those in the community: “People were so happy,” he recalled. “They were thanking me up and down for something that seems very basic. But it wasn’t really my win—it was our partners’ win. They had been advocating for it for a long time.”
For Luke, moments like these reinforce the importance of listening to the people you serve and responding to their needs. He says, "A lot of people don’t know they have the right to vote privately and independently. There are tools available, but many New Yorkers simply don’t know about them." This remains one of the biggest misconceptions around voting accessibility: many people don’t realize the rights and resources available to them.
A lot of people don’t know they have the right to vote privately and independently. There are tools available, but many New Yorkers simply don’t know about them.
Looking ahead, Luke hopes to continue expanding accessible voter information, including more Braille resources, additional American Sign Language (ASL) content, and stronger partnerships across disability communities throughout the city.
“The smaller a population is, the more likely they are to be left out of the information we’re providing,” he said. “We have to keep evolving and getting more creative.”
Taking a moment to smile at a community event.
Pride, Disability, and Showing Up
Luke’s commitment to inclusion extends beyond his accessibility work through his involvement with Ultraviolet, NYC Votes’ LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG).
As co-founder of the group, Luke helped organize Pride events, educational programming, and NYC Votes’ participation in Brooklyn Pride, which has become an annual tradition, expanding agency-wide to members beyond the ERG.
“I’ve been involved with LGBTQ+ organizing since high school,” he said. “Anywhere I go, I’m thinking, ‘Let’s get organized.’”
For Luke, there are meaningful connections between the disability and LGBTQ+ communities.
“Both are communities that have had to fight—and continue to fight—to be included,” he explained.
He also notes that both experiences often involve navigating spaces that weren’t originally built with these communities in mind.
“Sometimes people don’t realize they’re part of a community for a long time,” Luke said. “Then suddenly you’re trying to find community, navigate new experiences, and understand where you belong.”
Intersectional spaces are especially important in creating connections through similar lived experiences.
“It’s great to have a space where you can celebrate all of your identities,” he said.
Luke leading a community event.
Finding Inspiration & Hope
When asked what gives him hope, Luke didn’t hesitate.
“So much,” he said. “I get a chance to be around so many people who, despite everything, are out there doing the work.”
Whether he’s attending community events, meeting with partners, or speaking with voters, Luke says he’s continually inspired by the people he meets across New York City.
“People are so nice. They’re friendly. They want what’s best for themselves and for other people.”
And when asked to describe his approach to the work in a single word, Luke chose one that perfectly captures his philosophy:
“Genuine.”
For Luke, community is ultimately about showing up—for yourself and for others. He continued: "Community is a decision you make with other people to reject everything in your way that’s stopping you from being with other people. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. Just being with other people."
“There is so much in our society that tries to pull us away from genuine connections with other people,” he said. But the work Luke is doing in these communities is instead helping to bring everyone together.
Community is a decision you make with other people to reject everything in your way that’s stopping you from being with other people. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. Just being with other people.