Gogebic County Represented at Inaugural Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit
Ironwood, Michigan – October 1, 2024 – The first Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit was held on September 26 and 27, 2024 at the Michigan Technological University in Houghton. Kassi Huotari, Executive Director of the Gogebic Range Health Foundation and Amy Nosal, a Community Health Worker with the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department, participated in the event uniquely centered around the needs and benefits of increasing accessibility.
Increasing accessibility means creating spaces and attitudes that uplift an understanding of why and how to invite the largest variety of people possible. Whether it’s infrastructure design or people-first language, steps taken to improve accessibility expand the number of individuals who are engaging in a positive experience with a service provider, be it a government agency or business.
Summit attendees heard from local and national speakers about the latest data and resources to further accessibility efforts in the Upper Peninsula. More than 1 in 4 Americans have a disability, that’s about 1 in 3 families, and many are invisible conditions. Partnerships like those between Superior Alliance for Independent Living (UP SAIL) and communities in the Marquette and the Keweenaw regions have provided site accessibility assessments which then are used to strategically plan new developments and promotional materials. Featuring accessibility benefits residents and tourists alike by creating more social interactions and financial transactions. The summit concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing community partners who have created significant impacts in improve accessibility across the Upper Peninsula.
“Attending the first Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit was an important opportunity for us to explore how we can enhance inclusivity throughout the Gogebic Range,” reflected Huotari. “The Iron Belle Trail is a remarkable example of how accessibility can be seamlessly integrated into recreational spaces, and we aim to carry that vision into future projects in our community. By keeping accessibility at the forefront of future projects, we hope to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, has access to the resources and opportunities they deserve. This summit is an important step in assessing how we can continue making Iron and Gogebic Counties more inclusive and accessible for all.” For more information about the Gogebic Range Health Foundation, visit https://gogebicrangehf.org/.
Nosal spent this summer working with partners including Extension Iron County 4-H, Friends of the Iron Belle Trail, and the City of Bessemer to reintroduce the duet wheelchair bike, an electric pedal-assist tandem bike, for public use after the COVID pandemic. Nosal explains “It’s an opportunity for us to talk about our programs like Children’s Special Health Care Services, and it’s a service municipalities and businesses can promote to residents and visitors. Being a part of the summit expanded how to think about making places great for every body. It demonstrated the value of understanding others’ perspectives and how our different networks can align to create more resources and local income.” For more information about adaptable equipment in the Gogebic Range, visit https://iron.extension.wisc.edu/outdoor-adaptive-equipment/.
The Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit was created by members of the Accessible Keweenaw Initiative, including Visit Keweenaw, Keweenaw Community Foundation, Superior Alliance for Independent Living, and Western U.P. Planning and Development Region. For more information, visit https://www.visitkeweenaw.com/accessible-keweenaw-initiative/.