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 Second Request
A visitor who uses a wheelchair arrives early for an appointment and follows a sign directing visitors who need step-free access to a side entrance. The door is locked. After trying to find another way in, the visitor calls the front desk…
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The ADA at 36: How Far Does Access Reach?
The promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is reflected in ordinary places. It can be seen in an accessible entrance, a government website that works with a screen reader, or medical equipment that allows a patient to receive a complete…
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The Story of a Shoe
My feet are swollen, and my work shoes will not go on. The laces hang loose on either side. Each tongue has been pulled forward and each opening stretched as wide as possible, but more room is not the answer. The swelling…
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The Distance to the Door
Temperatures have pushed past 100 degrees this summer. For anyone who already hates the heat, even going out for lunch can feel like a questionable idea. A restaurant may be only a few miles away, but getting there is only one part…
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“Nothing About Us Without Us”: What Does Participation Mean in 2026?
On March 12, 1990, eight-year-old Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins left her wheelchair at the foot of the U.S. Capitol steps. Around her, other people with disabilities abandoned their wheelchairs and crutches and began the climb toward the Capitol. These images have become fixtures of…
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After the Glance
When someone notices my walking poles, what have they learned about me, and what story have they already begun to imagine? A visible disability can draw attention before a conversation begins. Someone may notice a walking device or wheelchair. A limb difference,…
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The Space Between Access and Participation
The Americans with Disabilities Act changed how access and inclusion are understood in the United States. Thirty-six years later, the question is no longer only whether people with disabilities are included. It is also whether they can use public systems, influence how…
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The Trouble With What Used to Work
Looking back can be useful because distance sometimes reveals the beginning of a change, the importance of a decision, or the meaning of an experience that seemed unclear at the time. What once seemed routine may look different in retrospect. The preparation…
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Beyond the Flag: Thinking About Disability Pride
Every July, the same question returns. It has surprisingly little to do with disability itself. Instead, it centers on a single word: pride. Disability Pride Month commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990, while advancing the…
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The Decisions No One Sees
Several weeks ago, I underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery after the ulnar nerve in my left arm was compressed at my elbow. To relieve the pressure and prevent further damage, the surgeon moved the nerve from behind my elbow to a new…