I’m a writer, artist, accessibility person, lawyer (technically!), and someone who has always been very interested in how people move through the world and how we can make life a little better for each other.

I was born disabled, which means I started thinking about accessibility long before I knew there was a word for it. I grew up noticing things like stairs and sidewalks and doorways, but also who gets included, who gets listened to, and all the tiny decisions that determine whether someone gets to be part of something.

Eventually, that curiosity took me to law school, disability rights work, fair housing, and higher education. I earned my JD from Washington University in St. Louis and most recently worked as the Accessibility and ADA Manager at the University of Missouri.

These days, I’m trying to build a slightly different kind of working life. One with more room for making art, writing, taking care of myself, and saying yes to interesting projects with people I like.

I want to use what I know to help people make things better: a space that welcomes more people, a program that actually works for the people it’s meant to serve, a piece of writing that finally says what someone has been trying to say, or a community project that brings a good idea to life.

I’m especially interested in doing more of that here in Columbia, Missouri. I grew up here, and I care a lot about what this place can be. I want more people to be able to get into the restaurant, go to the event, see the art, join the conversation, and generally be part of the freaking world around them.

But Columbia certainly doesn’t have exclusive rights to me. A lot of what I do can happen from anywhere.