UNITED CHURCH
of the VALLEY

A2A: Beyond Stairs and Walls

What exactly is Accessibility 2 All (A2A)? When most of us think of accessibility, they think of ramps and curb cuts, but A2A goes well beyond that. A2A gets all of us to focus on the obvious architectural barriers, but also the less obvious, the attitudinal barriers. Often times it’s the attitudinal barriers that become the largest obstacle to inclusivity and community integration.

So, how do we fix this? Well with physical barriers it’s a matter of dollars and cents. You have a step, you buy a ramp, you have a curb, you get a curb cut (not that we can buy a curb cut), you need a sign in braille for the classroom, you buy a sign in braille that says classroom. But how do you fix attitudes and stereotypes? Through education, patience and persistence. I know, I’ve been self-advocating as well as advocating for the disability community for 48 years. When asked a question, even one that may grate on the nerves, I consider it an opportunity to educate someone, hoping that they will pass the information along to others.

So, with A2A, the goal is complete and total inclusiveness and acceptance. We need to ensure that every person with a disability, hidden or obvious, has a positive experience when they visit the United Church of the Valley, it’s that simple. If you’re unsure how to be a part of that, just ask, I have lots of patience and I want UCV to be that total accessibility oasis in this valley of ours. It’s the right thing to do.

Here is a short excerpt from the UCC disability ministries website. "The purpose of accessibility is to remove barriers and provide equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their disabilities. Accessible means a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use."