The Adapted Path

7 days in with the Pillow4Pain and the results are definitely promising! 🛠️✨

If you suffer from neck and shoulder pain, you know how hard it is to find something that actually works. So far, using it for my neck during the day has been amazing—the cushioning gives the perfect angle of support, and the adjustable grooves mean I can customize the height easily. (Bonus points because it cleans up easily with a damp cloth!).

Because I deal with chronic shoulder pain, that side of things is taking a bit more time to acclimate. I've discovered it works best when I'm resting, so right now I’m on a mission to find the absolute perfect placement for left-side sleeping. 😴

Progress takes time, but a week in, I'm feeling very optimistic!

👇 Want to check it out? I’ve dropped the direct link in the first comment below!

Why Federal "Fraud-Busting" Matters Right Here in Mississippi.

You might have seen the news about the federal government withholding $1.3 billion from California’s Medicaid program. While that feels far away, the 6-month nationwide freeze on new Medicare providers affects all of us—including right here in Meridian.

When we talk about programs like the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower (which I’ll be presenting on May 26th!), we are talking about visibility.

Policy shifts like this often happen in the dark. Whether it’s a freeze on new hospice agencies or a crackdown on mobility equipment suppliers, these changes affect how our neighbors age in place and navigate our city.

I’m keeping a close eye on these developments to ensure our local community stays informed and accessible.

Style is a powerful form of self-expression, but let’s be real—sometimes just getting a shirt buttoned can feel like a mountain to climb. 🏔️

I’m diving deep into the world of adaptive clothing on the blog today. We’re talking about the 'Disability Tax,' the win of independent dressing, and how to find that perfect balance between 'medical necessity' and 'personal flair.'

Whether you’re a caregiver or navigating your own mobility journey, you deserve a wardrobe that works for you, not against you.

Read the full breakdown below

Accessible Style: The Truth About Adaptive Clothing Discover the truth about adaptive clothing—the pros, cons, and how to stay stylish on a budget with DIY hacks and affordable shopping tips.

This isn’t just one event.
This is a pattern.

And it’s happening in cities across the country.

At a recent festival, there were:
Rows of porta-potties
Baby changing stations

And not a single accessible restroom.

No accessible path.
No signage.

Just a sign that said:
🚫 “Not handicap accessible.”

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Let’s be clear:

This means people were excluded before they even had a chance to participate.

Not because they didn’t want to be there.
Because they weren’t considered in the planning.

⸻

So now we’re asking directly:






👉 What are your accessibility requirements for event permits?
👉 Are accessible restrooms required?
👉 Are accessible paths of travel required?
👉 Is accessibility inspected before events open?

Because right now, the answer on the ground is clear:

No requirement = no access = exclusion.

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At Project SAID, we are documenting these patterns everywhere.

Different city.
Different event.

Same outcome when systems fail:
people are excluded from participation.

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Accessibility is not optional.

If your event is open to the public,
it must be accessible to the public.

⸻

We’re not asking for perfection.
We’re asking for baseline access.

And right now, even that is missing.

⸻

and Recreation News 4 Tucson - KVOA

If we only view disability through a medical lens, we are missing the most important part of the conversation.

True advocacy requires us to stop looking at the individual and start looking at the mismatch between a person and their environment. When we think critically, we realize that disability is often a systemic outcome of design choices.

Here are three ways to shift the narrative:

1. Disability as a Design Error
Disability occurs when there is "friction" between a person’s needs and a world designed for a narrow, non-existent "standard." When a building has stairs but no ramp, or a website lacks screen-reader compatibility, that isn't a "human" problem. It’s a design error. We need to audit the systems, not the people.

2. Functionality vs. Dignity
A solution can be functional without being inclusive. If an entrance is tucked away by the loading dock, or an "accessible" path adds twenty minutes of extra labor to someone's commute, it lacks dignity. Critical thinking asks: "Does this solution allow for the same level of autonomy and ease as everyone else, or is it just a workaround?"

3. Sensory Infrastructure
Infrastructure isn’t just concrete and steel; it’s light, sound, and data. A space can be physically accessible but sensorially hostile. Whether it’s flickering fluorescent lighting or overwhelming acoustics, if the environment creates a barrier to participation, it is a failure of the infrastructure.

The Bottom Line:
We must move beyond "awareness" and toward Systemic Impact. We need to ask:

Whose comfort was prioritized when this was built?

How much "extra labor" are we forcing people to perform just to exist in this space?

Inclusion is not a favor we do for a specific group; it is the act of correcting a mismatch in our world.

Let’s discuss: What is a barrier you’ve noticed in your local infrastructure that most people walk (or wheel) right past without seeing?

What Are the Best Disability Advocacy Non-profits for 2026?

In the evolving landscape of 2026, the conversation around disability has shifted. It is no longer enough to simply be "aware" of the barriers facing the one in four adults living with a disability. True progress requires moving toward systemic impact, and these Disability Advocacy Non-profits are at the forefront—dismantling the structural, digital, and social hurdles that prevent full participation in society....

What Are the Best Disability Advocacy Non-profits for 2026? Discover 10 Disability Advocacy Non-profits driving systemic impact and leading global inclusion and accessibility in 2026.

I used to think rest was the answer. My AS diagnosis taught me I was wrong.

One of the biggest lessons? "Motion is Lotion." 🏃🏾‍♀️ Staying still is when the stiffness wins, so I’ve had to learn the delicate dance of movement and pacing.

I've put together 7 things I wish I’d known on day one of this journey. It’s personal, it’s practical, and it’s for anyone trying to navigate life after the world shifts beneath their feet.

Navigating Life: 7 Things I’ve Learned Since My AS Diagnosis An AS diagnosis requires a new roadmap. From "motion is lotion" to sensory sanctuaries, learn 7 lessons to navigate with confidence.

Why Project S.A.I.D.? Because seeing the problem is only the beginning. We’re moving beyond awareness and into systemic infrastructure change.

It’s time to convert observation into impact. Project S.A.I.D. follows the data, not just the emotion.

We move relentlessly through a defined process:
👀 SEE the barrier.
📊 ANALYZE the systemic pattern.
📢 INFORM the decision-makers.
🚀 DRIVE the policy change.

email: [email protected]
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1m1RDlaRWVxEafQ1ejVvt5V7Y3Z7OzU-QIHm9BPFz0dY/viewform?pli=1&pli=1&edit_requested=true

Join us in building the hard data that powers accessible futures. Accessibility is participation. Be the data that drives change.

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