Reimagining communities with Becca

How can we make our communities more accessible? 

For Becca, Family Camp was nearly the opposite of what she experienced in her everyday life.

At Family Camp, Becca’s wheelchair did not stop her from doing anything. She could boat with her mom and feel the cool, lake breeze on her face with the other campers. The tables were a good height for her to eat meals with everybody else, and her mom or a volunteer were always close by to help her if she needed it.

Becca wants to participate – she loves being a part of a group and she wants to share her gifts with her community. At church, Becca wanted to sing in the choir but could not get up the stairs in her wheelchair. She advocated for herself and asked the church to build a ramp to the stage. In no time, the congregation put together enough money and a ramp was installed.

We invited Becca to speak at the Belongathon about her advocacy journey and about accessibility in communities. A passionate public speaker and overall friendly person, at the Belongathon, she talked to more people, daring them to reimagine what their spaces would look like if they were more accessible. 

A ramp is not just a ramp – it's an open door, an invitation, and a welcome sign for people who use wheelchairs or other assistive devices to move around. The ramp enables Becca to participate in the choir and it’s there for anybody else in the future who might need it.