WE'VE LIVED IT, NOW WE'RE LEADING IT

Hi! I'm Courtney. I was born with Spina Bifida, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve been navigating a world that wasn’t built with me or with others with disabilities in mind. I’ve faced stairs without ramps, doors that wouldn’t open, concerts I couldn’t see, events I couldn’t attend, and the all-too-familiar silence that comes after someone says, “we didn’t think about that.”

 

As Caylee has grown up, she’s noticed these things too. She’s seen the barriers right alongside me: the looks, the limits, the ways the world quietly decides who gets access and who doesn’t. But she’s also seen the fight, the persistence, the advocacy, and the belief that things can change if we keep pushing.

 

For me, accessibility has always been about survival and dignity. For Caylee, it’s about justice and possibility. She doesn’t want to grow up in a world where “we didn’t think about that” is still an excuse. She wants to help build a future where everyone belongs, where kids like her don’t have to watch their parents, or anyone else, carry unnecessary weight just to participate in everyday life.

 

Together, we refuse to let inaccessibility define what’s possible. We’re here not only to share our story, but to spark change, for ourselves, for our community, and for the generations that come next. That’s why we created Access UpRising Foundation. It’s a movement to rewrite the standard, to demand more than “good enough” or bare minimum requirements. We help schools, businesses, and communities move beyond compliance to true inclusion. Because accessibility isn’t charity. It isn’t extra. It’s a right.

 

When Caylee walks into a building years from now, I don’t want her pride to come from how hard I had to fight. I want her pride to come from how far we’ve come TOGETHER. It’s time to stop asking permission. It’s time to build a world that finally sees us, hears us, and welcomes us all.