07-03-2025
Taylor Lindsay-Noel: Toronto influencer takes city to task on accessibility — 'There's still much work to be done'
Taylor Lindsay-Noel has spent most of her life redefining what it means to overcome adversity. A former gymnast from Toronto, she had dedicated herself to the sport from the age of five, training for years with Olympic dreams in sight.
But at just 14 years old, a training accident left her paralyzed from the neck down. 'The accident completely rattled my life and changed my entire perspective on what is important,' she says.
'It taught me the value of living in the moment and the incredible force of community.'
Despite facing the challenges she did, Lindsay-Noel refused to let her circumstances define her. Instead, she turned her focus toward building something new — both for herself and for others. Now, at 31, she is an entrepreneur, disability advocate and digital creator, using her platform to spark meaningful conversations about accessibility.
The accident completely rattled my life and changed my entire perspective on what is important.
Later, while studying radio and television at university, Lindsay-Noel started a podcast called Tea Time with Tay, which inspired her to start her own company in 2018: Cup of Té, a luxury tea brand that offers high-quality organic teas. It became so popular that, in 2020, it was featured as one of many covetable items on 'Oprah's Favorite Things' in O Magazine.
But beyond business, Lindsay-Noel has also become a powerful voice in the advocacy space, particularly through social media. In 2022, she launched her TikTok account as a way to highlight the barriers people with disabilities face in everyday life, particularly in Toronto.
'I started my TikTok as an outlet to create a resource for accessibility needs,' she explains. 'I wanted to highlight the inaccessible nature of so many public spaces and how we can work together through education and understanding to make our community more inclusive for all.'
What began as a passion project quickly gained momentum. Her account now boasts over 150,000 followers, drawing attention to the everyday struggles of navigating a world that isn't built for everyone. In 2023, she went viral when she spotlighted Yorkville restaurant Kasa Moto for lying about being wheelchair-accessible prior to her arrival for a friend's birthday dinner and how it left her out in the cold. The year before, she made waves, too, when she called out the Shameful Tiki Room for the same reason — giving it an indeed shameful one out of five stars for accessibility.
'My social media has grown far beyond my initial intent,' she says. 'I didn't have any specific goals when I first started, but now my goal is for my name to be synonymous with positive change in accessibility and breaking down the stereotypes of those living with a disability.'
My goal is for my name to be synonymous with positive change in accessibility and breaking down the stereotypes of those living with a disability.
Although Lindsay-Noel grew up in Toronto, after her accident, the city became an entirely different place — one filled with obstacles she hadn't noticed before. She shares how, like many, 'I never considered accessibility before my accident. Seeing it from a completely different lens made me realize how inaccessible it can be to a large part of the population.'
Some of the most striking examples of inaccessibility, she notes, come from places that should be the most inclusive. 'Government buildings and hospitals have been some of the worst offenders,' she says. 'These are spaces that should undeniably be accessible for all, yet they still require a lot of work, unfortunately.'
When asked whether she believes Toronto is a fairly accessible city, she offers a measured response: 'We're doing well compared to some smaller cities, but when we talk about Toronto as a world-class city, there's still much work to be done. I think a lot of it comes down to education — even the little things that spaces can do to make themselves more accessible. That's why I continue to do the work that I do.'
For Lindsay-Noel, accessibility isn't just an issue that affects a select group of people — it's something that will impact everyone at some point in their lives. 'If you live long enough, you will eventually develop some form of disability — whether that's using a cane or experiencing an accident in life,' she points out. 'We are not immune to life happening. Therefore, when we advocate for accessibility, we are technically advocating for our future selves.'
When we advocate for accessibility, we are technically advocating for our future selves.
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Her advocacy has not gone unnoticed. Lindsay-Noel was recently nominated for The Black Academy Legacy Awards' Digital Content Creator: Fan Choice Award, an honour that reflects the impact of her work. She says, 'I don't do the work I do in an effort to get recognition, but it's very humbling to know that my videos have had a positive effect on the communities I'm trying to reach.'
With all that she's achieved at a young age, Lindsay-Noel is ready to spend a little more time on her personal life. She shares, 'I think my next step is focusing on developing a family life. I would love to be a mom one day. I've been working really hard for many years, and I think it'll be great to take the next step as I fully enter my 30s, giving myself more grace to live life and have a lot of fun growing as a woman in the process.'
Ultimately, her journey is one of resilience, reinvention and relentless advocacy. Whether through her business or social media, she has become a leading voice for a more inclusive future.
I don't do the work I do in an effort to get recognition, but it's very humbling to know that my videos have had a positive effect on the communities I'm trying to reach.
