Th e Dream of Universal Access is a Powerful Motivator

by Heather Watkins

Heather Watkins walks past a step at the door of a salon in Roslindale Village. Photo by Zara Tzanev, courtesy of the Roslindale/West Roxbury Transcript.

It started as an irritation and over the years evolved into a delicious ambition. How could I go about increasing accessibility in my community? Should I be the one to voice concerns? Would anyone listen?

These were just some of the questions that echoed in my mind. The answers were soon to follow.

Born with a form of muscular dystrophy, I’m ambulatory but sometimes use a cane for additional support on days when I’m feeling less energetic. Besides safety, my cane helps me retain my sense of freedom and communicates that I’m not just an observer but an active participant in life, even if all the parts aren’t working properly.

But even with the cane, my eyes still gravitate toward impediments like stairs, which always have been a problem for me. Why can’t the world be level? How can I maintain my sense of freedom if stairs keep getting in the way? Why don’t people care more about these things?

Finding a Partner

A year would pass before my next step. Up late one night, I was just about to shut off the TV and go to bed when a story on the local news caught my interest. The story was about accessibility issues plaguing parts of Boston, and one of the people interviewed was a woman with multiple sclerosis from Roslindale, my community!

I could make a difference
in my community and if I
needed help along the way,
all I had to do was ask.

Taking the First Step

I spent countless hours thinking, wondering and planning. Universal access is such an empowering ambition that I decided to tackle it within my community.

Looking around, I quickly noticed a bakery, bookstore, thrift shop and a hair salon that all had stairs and no other means of access!

The liquor store, however, had no steps and only a slight incline. The entrance looked as if it may have had a step that had been shaved down and smoothed over with concrete. Perhaps those owners know what time it is, or just want the greatest number of patrons to have access to their business.

I took my first step and signed up for a Community Access Monitor certification class offered by the Massachusetts Office on Disability. This two-day training taught me about

ADA rights and how to advocate for change in my community.

It was wonderful to be in the company of so many like-minded people. We were motivated by frustration but guided by idealism.

The most important thing I learned in that training was that advocating for change absolutely was something that I could do. I could make a difference in my community and if I needed help along the way, all I had to do was ask.

A wheelchair user, Liz Casey was voicing concerns similar to mine. This indeed was a sign! The next day I called her, more excited than nervous, hoping that after hearing my ideas she would want to work together. Just as I hoped, Liz was thrilled and we met soon thereafter and began to strategize.

We began to meet with city officials, both together and individually, regarding our community’s accessibility concerns.