Visit the Instagram page for the Mapping Access project, with postings of stories, artwork, and photographs here: https://www.instagram.com/mappingcare.art/

This image depicts a photo taken at Stong College at York, with a wayfinding sign indicating “Elevator, Stairs, Washrooms” on the wall, overlaid with the text “RESEARCH”, “ADVOCACY” and “ACCESS” in large glowing text.

Those are the things that this project is about. It’s part of a dissertation research that thinks about how to eliminate violent structures in spaces that are supposed support people’s flourishing. Like ableism and barriers that get in the way of people’s learning. Like our campus.

Part of our idea is that, by linking the dissertation research to an IG account, any student or anyone who wants to do something about campus inaccessibility can use the crowdsourced information on this page.

Because who says research has to be about gathering information and then publishing them in some articles before other people can use the knowledge?

Need evidence to support lobbying for accessibility? Need a quote for your paper to back up your argument about barriers to learning? Need research results for your assignment? You can use this. Take what you need from what we post, just cite the link in bio and the Instagram account. Our time at this institution is limited, so is our energy, and we can’t be a part of every accessibility campaign. We’d be glad if this can support your effort to make our learning environment more accessible for us and for those who come after us.

So by design, this space will be as big as people’s contributions. It might end up being just our own stories. But we hope that it will grow to be something bigger than us.

Want to join us? Share your stories here.