In this bonus episode we listen to Kyann Flint as she dives into what the Americans with Disabilities act means to her and to the disability community.  Today we celebrate the 31st anniversary of the ADA, and we dig deeper into how the ADA can be made more effective and what exactly this monumental act does for people with disabilities.

Kyann talks about her childhood and her perception of disability then versus her perception of disability now. She demands that we move beyond the ADA and into a mindset of seeing accessibility as an investment.  Kyann believes that accessibility should be considered good for everyone and highlights Curb Cut Theory; how things made as an accommodation for the disability community can in turn benefit everyone.  Listen in to hear Kyann dive into disability inclusion and accessibility.

Learn more about how Wandke Consulting can empower you to become an advocate for the disability community. 

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In this episode we speak with Jenn Mason, a fellow advocate for accessibility and inclusion.  We talk about what accessibility means to her in regards to intimacy. Jenn owns Wink Wink, an identity inclusive sex shop in downtown Bellingham, Washington. Jenn is also a mother to a daughter with a disability.  Beyond her role as a mother and a business owner, she is also the President of the school board in Bellingham WA.  We discuss how they have navigated the complexities of healthcare, education, and parenting.

Learn more about how Wandke Consulting can empower you to become an advocate for the disability community. 

In this episode of Spark Access, we have the honor of speaking with Kait Whiteside, the Director of Max Higbee Center (MHC). MHC is a nonprofit that provides community-based recreation programs that empower people with disabilities. Kait shares her dedication to bringing accessible recreation to the community and expresses how a community is not truly community unless it is accessible to everyone. She also talks about her dream of Max Higbee's future, and for the rest of the country to follow a model similar to theirs. 

Kait has been instrumental to Max Higbee’s efforts in supporting a thriving community where people are empowered to grow, develop, and enrich their lives through recreation activities and the relationships they create. She enthusiastically developed and managed the Higbee Hikers Program that explored the incredible Bellingham trail network. In 2014, Kait took on a new leadership role as the Executive Director that she describes as a joyful experience of working with MHC's passionate staff and dedicated Board to grow programs, create new partnerships, and envision a caring and inclusive community where everyone belongs. Kate is an activist for the disability community, as well as a lover of being outdoors.

Support the Max Higbee Center: donate here or get involved! 

Learn more about how Wandke Consulting can empower you to become an advocate for the disability community. 

In our debut episode of Spark Access we have the privilege of speaking to a great friend, Kenny Salvini. We talk about his life as a husband, a father, an advocate, and a traveler, all while living with quadriplegia. Kenny has dedicated himself to being a beacon of positivity for many wheelchair users. 

Kenny is a deeply caring and active advocate for wheelchairs users in Washington state, and for the disability community in general. After a snow-skiing accident in 2004, he had to learn to navigate life as a quadriplegic.  Kenny is a pillar of community for a vibrant group of wheelchair users in the Pacific Northwest.  After meeting great mentors and learning how to "Do Life" as a wheelchair user, Kenny founded the Here and Now Project.

The Here and Now Project connects and empowers the paralysis community in the Pacific Northwest. Every year they host BBQs, meet-ups, sports days, and  larger gatherings to bring wheelchair users in the Pacific Northwest together to encourage and inspire each other to "Do Life".

Learn More About The Here and Now Project

Learn more about how Wandke Consulting can empower you to become an advocate for the disability community.