I am developing a course focused on mobility and accessibility in developing communities in conjunction with a Mercer on Mission trip (https://mom.mercer.edu/dominican-republic.cfm - this will be updated soon due to the recent tragic loss of Dr. Michael McCarthy). This course/project is the brainchild of a former environmental engineering student who traveled to the Dominican Republic to participate in a water quality project and who (because he has some mobility challenges) alerted Dr. McCarthy that people with disabilities have significant difficulties participating in their community due to mobility and accessibility issues. In a nutshell, this led Dr. McCarthy to approach me about leading a project focused on mobility and accessibility that was derailed by COVID, kept alive under the leadership of the student (who is now pursuing a master's in Disability Studies at the University of Leeds via a Goldwater scholarship), and will now (fingers crossed!) come to fruition next summer.
I am in contact with the student who initiated the project and he is sharing resources from his studies. I also plan to work with our community partners to develop a core team of community members who live with or support someone with mobility issues.
Can anyone offer additional resources or insights that might be useful here at the beginning? Our goal (as with all MoM goals) is to conduct research and propose solutions that are community based and led so that they are sustainable in the long term.
TIA,
Laura
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Laura Moody
Macon GA
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