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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The Words We Choose: How Language Shapes Our Understanding of Disability and Ability
Language draws lines across how people are seen and understood. It can build connection or create distance. The words chosen to describe someone are never neutral. They reveal how society assigns value, how belonging is extended or withheld. A single word can…
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Before the Door Opens: The Quiet Work of Making Room for Everyone
Inclusion is often described as a program or initiative. It appears in strategic plans, policy documents, and mission statements. Yet at its core, inclusion is not a checklist. It is a way of thinking, designing, and interacting that reflects dignity, belonging, and…
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Regulatory Review Could Shift How Federal Contractors Support People with Disabilities in the Workforce
Proposed Changes to Federal Employment Requirements for People with Disabilities People with disabilities in the United States continue to be employed at lower rates than people without disabilities. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination based on disability, differences in…
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Medicaid Reform Legislation: Scope, Provisions, and Projected Effects
Across the country, Medicaid provides critical healthcare coverage and support services to millions of people, including older adults, veterans, people with disabilities, and low-income working families. One key component of Medicaid is the provision of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), which allow…
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Silent Drafts
Most things don’t end with certainty. They drift off in silence, or stop before anyone realizes they have finished. Some moments and circumstances remain standing, half-built. There are conversations left unresolved, doors left ajar, and paths taken without understanding why. Plans often…
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“Let’s Find a Way”: A Life Shaped by Possibility
For over five decades, I have lived with a disability, a journey shaped by persistence and the collaborative support of those around me. During this time, I completed both high school and college, established a fulfilling career, and achieved home ownership. These…
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Medicaid, Community, and Care: Weighing the Cost of Proposed Cuts
Families, caregivers, and disability advocates are paying close attention as the Senate considers a proposal that could further reduce Medicaid funding. This development follows similar cuts recently passed by the House. Although lawmakers describe the legislation as a strategy to reduce costs,…
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What Belonging Demands
Who Gets to Belong? A Reflection on Disability, Inclusion, and System Readiness William Harkness’s essay is thoughtful, personal, and carefully constructed. It surfaces a reality that many within the disability community have quietly navigated for years: that the principles of inclusion, while…
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Accessibility Through the Five Senses: Why It Matters More Than We Think
Many people think of accessibility as something visible: a ramp leading to a door, a button that opens it, or a sign that points the way. In this view, accessibility is functional, mechanical, and reactive. It is often reduced to a checklist…
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Federal Moves Signal Potential Rollback in Disability Accessibility Standards
Delayed Protections, Proposed Rollbacks: What’s at Stake for Disability Access Recent federal actions signal a potential shift in how accessibility is treated in public policy, with implications for millions of Americans who rely on accessible infrastructure and services. Two recent developments—one involving…