Wiley’s Walk
Join the journey. Walk the path.
Writing by Kerry Ann Wiley about disability, adaptation, participation, and the difference between access and inclusion.
New on Wiley’s Walk
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Salt’s Shadow
In the early hours before sunrise, a familiar restlessness takes hold. Though the room holds no sound, it feels crowded with unspoken tension, as if the walls were steeped in a scream long since swallowed. The blankets lie as if placed by…
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Burn Lines
Some moments don’t leave—they settle in the sheets, in the air, in the quiet just before morning. Burn Lines stays in that thin space between dreaming and waking, where something felt close, then slipped away. It doesn’t tell what happened. It holds…
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Quality of Life, Redefined
Quality of life is often treated as a metric: something to be measured, compared, and improved. For people with disabilities, however, quality of life is shaped each day by the ways systems function, how support is provided, and how individual choices are…
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What Inclusion Really Looks Like: The Federal Programs That Help Make It Possible
Inclusion is often discussed as a value, but in practice, it depends on structure. For people with disabilities, that structure includes a set of federally funded programs that support access to housing, education, employment, health care, and civic life. These programs, which…
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Where the Light Fell
Where the Light Fell explores the emotional impact of experiences that nearly happened but did not. The poem is set in the space between presence and absence, where physical details—such as rust on a hinge or the outline of a missing picture…
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Rewiring Communication: Brain–Computer Interfaces Move Closer to Real Use
Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) are advancing rapidly and may soon become a practical tool for people who have lost the ability to move or speak due to illness or injury. These devices link brain signals to computers, allowing users to control digital systems…
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DOE Delays Action on Accessibility Rules Amid Broad Public Concern
Department Reviews Accessibility Policy After Receiving National Feedback Federal officials are postponing a proposal that would remove longstanding accessibility requirements after receiving substantial public input. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has delayed its plan to eliminate specific building access standards outlined…
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Participation Begins with Design
What if participation was not something granted by invitation but something intentionally designed from the beginning? Accessibility is often introduced only after structures are in place. It appears as a ramp beside the stairs, captions beneath a video, or a sign language…
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Not the Whole Sky
Some mornings begin before the day truly arrives. Before coffee brews or feet touch the floor, the mind is already awake, turning over unfinished tasks, small regrets, and silences where words were needed. These thoughts gather quickly, building tension and overshadowing the…
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Beyond Fitting In: Re-imagining How Communities Invite Participation
Many people appreciate the convenience of things that come ready to use—like fitted sheets that eliminate the hassle of tucking corners, pre-sliced bread that saves time at the table, or turnkey solutions that require minimal setup and allow for immediate use. Communities…