MACA Quarterly Newsletter

Hello MACA Members,

Happy Spring! It has been a busy and exciting start to the year for MACA. First, during our February meeting, we celebrated MACA’s third anniversary. Then, in March, we found out that MACA had received a Governor’s Award for Innovative Tourism Collaboration! We also recently hosted our first professional development opportunity of the year – “Accessibility Chat.” Continue reading below to find out more about our award and program. And check out the cookies that we had to celebrate our third anniversary!

We hope that you can join us for our next meeting, which will be taking place on Tuesday, May 14, and our next professional development opportunity – “Institutional Accessibility Visioning” – which is scheduled for Wednesday, June 12. To find out more about both of these opportunities, please see below.

Caroline Braden
Executive Chair

News

MACA Receives Governor’s Award for
Innovative Tourism Collaboration

We are excited to announce that MACA has received a Governor’s Award for Innovative Tourism Collaboration! MACA received the award in the category of Education/Training during an award ceremony that took place in March at the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism. To learn more about this award and all of this year’s winners, see this article.

Accessibility Chat Program Wrap-Up

MACA’s first professional development opportunity of the year – “Accessibility Chat: A Conversation with Disability Self-Advocates and Caregivers” – provided attendees with many helpful insights to take back to their institutions. Here are a few of the insights that were shared:

“My son is more than his disability. He is a person first. A son. A brother. A person who happens to have a disability.” – Michelle Justice, mother of a teenager with autism
Engage directly with the person with the disability, rather than through a companion, guide, or interpreter.
Remember that disabilities can be both visible and invisible.
Offer at least a minimum level of experience for everyone.
Reach out to organizations serving people with disabilities to help with staff training. Staff should be empathetic, patient, and give people the time that they need to enjoy their experience.
When guiding someone who is blind, make sure that the individual who is blind feels in control. Ask them if there is anything more that can be done to assist.
Pre-visit planning materials (maps, visuals, etc. available online), wide aisles, family restrooms, and calming spaces are all good to have to enhance accessibility.

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunity

Institutional Accessibility Visioning Workshop

June 12, 2019
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM (Free)
Detroit Historical Museum
Register here!

Join us for a morning discussion with our panel of cultural institution administrators who will be sharing their experiences after having successfully implemented accessibility initiatives beyond ADA in their organizations. Panelists will then help us to work on collective talking points to take back to our institutions. Panelists include:

Amy Harris, Director, University of Michigan Museum of Natural History

AmyLouise Liedel, Senior Director of Guest Operations, The Henry Ford

Emily O'Hara, Curator of Exhibit Design, Detroit Zoological Society

Kelly Stuible-Clark, Manager of Musical Theatre Programs, Wharton Center for Performing Arts

New on MACA's Website

New Resources Added to MACA's Website

Many resources and articles about accessibility-related topics have recently been added to MACA's website. Check them out here and email miculturalaccess@gmail.com with any resources that you would like to add.

List Your Events on
MACA's Calendar!

Check out the many accessibility events and programs listed on MACA's calendar. To have events at your institution added, please email miculturalaccess@gmail.com and include the following information:

Event title
Date(s) / time / location
Price (Please specify if free)
Very brief description
Link to event / tickets page
Preferred tags (Sensory-Friendly, Blind / Low Vision, etc.)

Our Next Meeting

Tuesday, May 14
9:30 am - 11:30 am
Alzheimer's Association - Greater Michigan Chapter's Office (25200 Telegraph Rd., Southfield)
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The meeting will include information about developing and implementing offerings for individuals living with dementia and their care partners.

About MACA

The Michigan Alliance for Cultural Accessibility (MACA) is a consortium of professionals working together in order to enhance the accessibility of Michigan’s cultural institutions for people with all abilities.

Our mission is to empower cultural institutions in Michigan to become more accessible and inclusive for people of all abilities. By sharing resources and experiences, leveraging expertise, refining best practices, and building institutional capacity we will increase accessibility for people with disabilities therein increasing accessibility for all.

miculturalaccess@gmail.com

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Michigan Alliance for Cultural Accessibility · PO Box 7315 · Ann Arbor, MI 48107 · USA