I worked with DSP Shows to help Pines Theater in Look Park, Florence, expand their ADA seating, which gives disabled people the option to sit up at the front of the stage rather than at the back of the theater, and to enjoy a safe, more accessible place to enter, exit, and park their vehicles. 

The manager of Spoleto Restaurant in Northampton and I worked to make Spoleto’s outdoor dining area much more accessible for disabled people. This was an especially important accomplishment during the pandemic when outdoor dining was necessary.

When I spoke with Roberto’s management about how to make their establishment more accessible, they heeded my advice by building a ramp out front that is still there to this day. Great teamwork, and really great food! Thank you, Roberto's!

Familiar’s quickly took my advice when I suggested giving disabled folks the option to request for our coffee/food orders to be brought out to the top of the ramp for pickup. Though they discontinued this access once they began serving food inside, I appreciated the collaboration during the pandemic, and hope to continue it. 

I made the staff, managers, and public aware of a glaring, unsafe inaccessibility regarding disabled people’s ability to enter and exit Herrell’s after 7pm, and have been working with management of Thornes to create a safe and realistic solution to the problem. This is a work in progress! We’ll keep you posted. 

A true work in progress. It hasn’t been an easy journey bringing accessibility back to 41 Strong Avenue. I’m currently working with the Disability Law Center and the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board, as well as relying on support from members of our community, to see a happy and just ending to this ongoing fight for equal access.

For the past few years, I have been vocal about the need for better snow removal in the winters, as well as the need to improve the dangerous sidewalk areas in Northampton. This prompted me to join the Disability Commission of the City of Northampton, to make a change. We have seen a good deal of progress, with still much work to do. I believe that every body has the right to access our city streets safely in all seasons. 

I was elected to be Chair of the Disability Commission and was recently re-elected. This commission is an advisory body of the city. I will remain in this position until I become City Councilor.

I was appointed by the mayor to the Hiring Committee for the current Director of Planning and Sustainability. I was pleased that we chose the candidate who was most knowledgeable and passionate about the Northampton ADA Transition Plan.

I Worked with fellow disabled residents along with our allies to organize a march and rally for the rights of all disabled people on April 23, 2022. It was a day of celebration for people with disabilities, creating a platform for us to share our stories and our ideas for creating a more accessible, less ableist society. We call it Disableism. Our mission is to shut down - or disable - ableism, wherever and whenever we see it.