Accessibility Summit premieres in U.P.

HOUGHTON - Two Gogebic County health officials attended the first U.P. Accessibility Summit on Sept. 26 and 27 at Michigan Technological University in Houghton.

Kassi Huotari, executive director of the Gogebic Range Health Foundation, and Amy Nosal, a community health worker with the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department, participated in the event uniquely centered around the needs and benefits of increasing accessibility.

Increasing accessibility means creating spaces and attitudes that uplift an understanding of why and how to invite the largest variety of people possible.

Whether it's infrastructure design or people-first language, steps taken to improve accessibility expand the number of individuals who are engaging in a positive experience with a service provider, be it a government agency or business.

Summit attendees heard from local and national speakers about the latest data and resources to further accessibility efforts in the U.P.

More than one in four Americans have a disability. That's about one in three families, and many are invisible conditions.

Partnerships like those between Superior Alliance for Independent Living and communities in the Marquette and the Keweenaw regions have provided site accessibility assessments that then are used to strategically plan new developments and promotional materials.

Offering accessibility benefits residents and tourists alike by creating more social interactions and financial transactions.

The summit concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing community partners that have created significant impacts in improve accessibility across the Upper Peninsula.

"Attending the first Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit was an important opportunity for us to explore how we can enhance inclusivity throughout the Gogebic Range," said Huotari.

She added, "The Iron Belle Trail is a remarkable example of how accessibility can be seamlessly integrated into recreational spaces, and we aim to carry that vision into future projects in our community. By keeping accessibility at the forefront of future projects, we hope to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, has access to the resources and opportunities they deserve.

Moreover, said Huotari, "This summit is an important step in assessing how we can continue making Iron and Gogebic counties more inclusive and accessible for all."

For more information about the Gogebic Range Health Foundation, visit https://gogebicrangehf.org/.

Nosal also spent this summer working with partners, including Extension Iron County 4-H, Friends of the Iron Belle Trail, and the city of Bessemer to reintroduce the duet wheelchair bike, an electric pedal-assist tandem bike, for public use after the COVID pandemic.

"It's an opportunity for us to talk about our programs like Children's Special Health Care Services, and it's a service municipalities and businesses can promote to residents and visitors," said Nosal. "Being a part of the summit expanded how to think about making places great for everybody. It demonstrated the value of understanding others' perspectives and how our different networks can align to create more resources and local income."

For information about adaptable equipment in this region, visit iron.extension.wisc.edu/outdoor-adaptive-equipment/.

The U.P. Accessibility Summit was created by members of the Accessible Keweenaw Initiative, including Visit Keweenaw, Keweenaw Community Foundation, Superior Alliance for Independent Living, and Western U.P. Planning and Development Region.

For additional details, see the related website at keweenaw.com/accessible-keweenaw-initiative/.