Building a world where everyone is Known, Valued, & Included

Please enjoy this month's snapshot of the events and news happening here at The Independence Center as well as the broader conversation about disability!


If you have questions or want more information about anything you see here, please email us at info@the-ic.org or call us at 719-471-8181.


To watch this newsletter in American Sign Language, go to this link:


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzorCQz6OB0vJ4xSNztqZZNO_i_J0z3Rd

Enabling Accessibility

with The IC Fund

Accepting Applications Through January 31, 2025

[Image description: A smiling man with closed eyes and wearing a cap sits in a black and yellow offroad vehicle. Another man with a beard and a baseball cap stands next to the vehicle gesturing towards the controls.]

The Independence Center (The IC) helps create independence and accessibility for people with disabilities. However, we don't only work with individuals; we also support a variety of other community projects and organizations through The IC Fund. The Fund awards grants to local-area, non profit organizations for specific projects which will promote independence and increase accessibility for people with disabilities. Applications for the 2025 grant cycle are open until January 31.


In the past, IC Fund grants have paid for things like accessible medical equipment (including wheelchair-accessible exam tables and scales), wheelchair lifts, building and landscape modifications, and outreach programs, to name only a few. Applications aren't limited to a few specific types of projects, but instead are evaluated based on factors such as community impact and alignment with the mission and vision of The IC.


Go to this link for more information about The IC Fund, including eligibility guidelines, and instructions for how to apply:

https://www.theindependencecenter.org/about-us/the-ic-fund/


Applications will be reviewed in February, and grant funds will be awarded in March.

Closed on Monday, 1/20

The IC's offices will be CLOSED on Monday, January 20, 2025 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We will re-open at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Disability Justice

[Image description: A black and white photo of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior speaking at a podium to a large crowd of people.]

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, celebrated this year on January 20, is a day to look back on the movement for civil rights in the United States and its achievements, and reflect on the goals of the movement that have not yet been reached. For the disability community, Dr. King’s life and work can serve as both an inspiration and a cautionary tale.


The fight for Black equality is still unfinished, but through the bravery of countless people throughout the last century, our country has come closer to Dr. King’s dream. Similarly, the fight for equality for people with disabilities and a world where everyone can be Known, Valued, and Included continues.


When Rev. Dr. King said that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere,” he summed up his beliefs about how to organize for change. Central to this is the idea of solidarity: standing with a person or group that you yourself may not be a part of or from which you may not benefit. Dr. King’s focus in his life was on the civil, legal, and economic rights of Black Americans, but over and over he reached out to, and formed coalitions with, other groups that had different stated goals, such as sanitation workers on strike in Memphis, the American Jewish community, and indigenous people in the United States.


By helping other groups take steps towards their own goals, the civil rights movement shows us that all of these struggles are shared and come from a common source. As Dr. King said, “It is not possible to be in favor of justice for some people and not be in favor of justice for all people.


The disability community is unique because a person with a disability can be any race, gender, age, or sexuality. “Person with a disability” is the only group that anybody can join at any time, which is one reason it is so important for everyone to make sure that people with disabilities have equal access, treatment, and opportunities.


When a person with a disability is also a racial minority or a member of some other marginalized group, their struggle can be even more complicated. By making sure that people with disabilities have equal rights and treatment, we can help the social movement towards the equal rights and treatment of all people. Dr. King’s life and work are inspirational to anyone struggling for justice!

Visitable Homes and the Benefits of Universal Design

[Image description: On a ramp, a young man seated in a wheelchair smiles at the camera.]

If your home is like the majority of homes in the United States, it probably is missing three features that make it "visitable" for people who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices:


  • An entrance with zero steps
  • at least 32 inches of clear passage space in all doors, inside and out
  • a bathroom on the main floor that can be entered with a wheelchair


Many people might not think about it, but if someone who uses a wheelchair isn't able to get inside the homes of their friends and family, they may not be able to visit them. A study from a few decades ago showed that almost half of the people with disabilities who were surveyed said that they felt isolated from their communities. Social isolation can cause diminished health outcomes, but even more often, it can make people feel like they aren't Known, Valued, or Included.


Even if you don't use a wheelchair or other mobility aids, making your home visitable is important! Your friends who do use them will appreciate it! In the event you or a family member loses some mobility because of an accident or age, a visitible home allows individuals to 'age-in-place' within their own homes. Adding accessibility features can even increase the value of your home!


The IC has put together a brochure about visitable homes, using the story of a friend of The IC to show the real-life impact that they can have. Our brochure also explains some of the research about this topic as well as the steps anyone interested in visitability can take! The brochure can be found on our website's Resources page at this link:

https://www.theindependencecenter.org/resources/


For more information about visitability, go to the National Council on Independent Living's Visitability page:

https://ncil.org/visitability/

Accessibility Spotlight

#AccessibleCOS

[Image description: In front of trees, the gate of the dog park at Fountain Creek Regional Park with a long concrete ramp leading from several accessible parking spaces.]

As the home of civil rights for people with disabilities in the Pikes Peak region, The IC has been using our #AccessibleCOS campaign to shine a light on local businesses, organizations, and services that show off how accessibility makes everyone in our area better!


Two recent additions to the growing list of accessible outdoor activities are new accessible dog parks in Fountain Creek Regional Park and Antlers Park in downtown Colorado Springs. Both parks have ramps, accessible parking spaces, easy-to-open double gates, and other features designed to make sure that everyone is able to bring their furry friends to socialize and exercise!


More information about these dog parks can be found at the following links:

https://coloradosprings.gov/AntlersDogPark

https://communityservices.elpasoco.com/parks-and-recreation/fountain-creek-regional-park/

Peer Support Calendar

Upcoming Community Workshops, Special Events, Recreation Events, and Support Groups


Classes and events at The IC provide opportunities to learn new skills, meet new people, and try new things in a supportive environment! An up-to-date listing of classes and events can always be found on our website's event calendar:

https://www.theindependencecenter.org/

ASL Newsletter

[Image description: A man with short brown hair wearing a short-sleeved black shirt signs in American Sign Language.]

The IC Newsletter translated in American Sign Language (ASL)

[Image description: The logo of The IC next to a QR code. Below, the words "We're hiring" and "Scan to apply! Or visit the-ic.org/employment"]

Facebook      instagram