Two days ago, Wanda and I had meeting with Jon. Jon works for VSA Minnesota, The State Organization on Arts and Disability. We met for an hour, touring Art Works and chatting about developing access for the community. As a new organization, there are many plans, and piles of policies to be written/revised/reviewed/retained. It is so very easy to build canyon walls around pathways that weren’t even chosen intentionally while we stack up the papers filled with “to do” items.
Since Wednesday, we have done what we do best: move with intention and purpose to a deadline that makes a difference. We have developed our first ADA Access Plan, and we have started doing the work of making change.
- We developed our first ADA Access Plan, reviewed and passed by our Board of Directors. It isn’t perfect, and it isn’t enough in light of the needs of the community that relies on accommodations for access. It IS a start, and it IS significant.
- We are writing our first grant for an access capital improvement project to put automatic door openers throughout the facility. Wish us luck as we push through the finalization of the grant application, sit and wait through the panel review process, and then hopefully we will all celebrate wildly as the doors swing wide open for all of our community.
- We have added a page on our website dedicated to access information. Check it out. Do you need accommodation to have fully access? Do you know someone who does? We want to hear from you!
