Thursday, June 14, 2018

space and welcome

I was speaking at a conference over the last couple of days and I found myself in nearly constant awe in regards to how the whole thing was organized. Let me give you some examples:

1) there was a ramp to the stage in the room I was presenting in. A good ramp. One that had a flat entrance onto it ... amazing.

2) seats had been left available for wheelchair users in the room. This is a common complaint of mine, I go for training and have no-where to sit.

3) I'm given announcements to be made and one of them was to remind the audience not to take or use the accessible seating unless it was being used for the purposes of access.

4) There is a darkened room, and signs around it to be quiet and to not use cell phones in the area. It's a room for people to escape into the cocoon of darkness and silence just to get away from the noise and the lights and other things that cause sensory overload.

5) The accessible space actually was. Clearly they went to the site and checked it all out. Not a single barrier for me, not even the carpet, which was of the roll able type.

It's one thing to be greeted by organizers, it's another to be welcomed by the physical space.

It was a marvelous experience.

They got it right.

5 comments:

clairesmum said...

What a difference it makes, to experience that sense of welcome into a space...a feeling of safety and belonging, which is a key human need that we try to intellectualize away or minimize the need. Glad you had the experience.

ABEhrhardt said...

Glad they actually checked it out - and everything made you feel welcome.

Wish it were everywhere true.

Anonymous said...

YES!!!!

Unknown said...

This was an amazing event and every year it seems to get better. The organizers and DDA work very hard to "get it right" I am so glad your experience was a good one.

Unknown said...

This was a great event and an amazing space. DDA and the organizers did a great job to "get it right" Thank you for coming to the US and sharing your stories and knowledge.