As we transition into our new space, we would like to acknowledge the limitations in accessibility, particularly for community members with mobility issues, due to its location on the second floor of an older building which is only accessible by stairs. When we made the decision to move, we considered various factors such as transit accessibility, proximity to affordable and nourishing food options, our budget, and our time constraints. The space we found met many of our needs, and we naively assumed that the issue of the stairs would be a resolvable issue. However, we have since learned that adding an electric stair lift or platform lift involves several barriers, including permits, structural considerations, and the fact that we do not own the building.

Nevertheless, we are committed to addressing this issue and are continuing to pursue options for installing a safe stair alternative. But we now understand that this process will take time. We humbly ask for your understanding as we strive to do our best with the resources available to us. In the meantime, we have purchased a mobile stair lift and trained our staff and core volunteers on its safe usage. We recognize that this solution may not work for everyone. Therefore, we are dedicated to ensuring hybrid options for all our public programming, also recognizing that there are other considerations beyond mobility that may hinder physical access to our space. Lastly, we envision our "SPACE" in this new phase as not limited to a specific location, and we are actively building partnerships and a network of venues to collaborate with and host events.

Improving accessibility and fostering inclusivity for a diverse range of community members is a core value for us. We understand that being ADA-accessible goes beyond mobility considerations. Since relocating, we have made several enhancements, including widening bathroom doorways, installing bathroom handrails, replacing doorknobs with handles, addressing tripping hazards, reinforcing stairwell handrails, providing accommodating seating options, removing fluorescent lights, and adding braille to all room signs. We acknowledge that this is an ongoing process, and we will continually strive to make further improvements.

In the near future, we plan to ensure that all core staff and volunteers receive training in emergency first aid, seizure response, and other medical response, and we will have ASL interpreters available upon request for events.

We are grateful to be working with an ADA consultant who will guide us through this process, provide sensitivity training for all core staff and volunteers, and continue to support us with valuable resources as we move forward.