You may be thinking, “Bird, you write liturgy. You develop and manage programming. Why prioritize disability access and inclusion?” Well, the answer is, for a lot of reasons!

Yes, we are called to the work of access and inclusion by our faith, but I am personally called to this work as an autistic and physically disabled individual. So while I’m only an “expert” on my own disabilities, addressing access issues within the church is at the heart of my approach to ministry. That means not just making space for disabled people as participants in programs, but honoring our gifts as leaders too.