Q&A with Anita O’Brien

Founder of Rochester Accessible Adventures talks about how her nonprofit has worked to improve access to places for thousands of people with disabilities

By Mike Costanza

 

Since 2015, Rochester Accessible Adventures has helped recreation facilities, tourism sites, libraries and other places that offer enjoyable, healthy activities give people with disabilities greater access to their sites and services.

Because of its efforts, wheelchair users can more easily find the books they desire, those on the autism spectrum can enjoy a walk in the park and the blind can learn how to fence. Though the nonprofit has just four employees and 75 volunteers, its services benefited 10,560 adults and children in 2024.

Anita O’Brien, RAA’s founder and executive director, is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist who has spent about 30 years working with people with disabilities. In Good Health spoke to her about her nonprofit, its services and challenges.

Q. Your website states that RAA was founded because of a recurring problem. What was that problem?

A. The problem is when people wake up on Saturday and they turn to their family and say “What do you want to do today?” For those that have a family member with a disability, it wasn’t an easy answer. That gap is what we want to fix. We are looking at the space of health and wellness through recreation sports and tourism. We’re looking within that space, and in those industries, and saying “Let’s help make these spaces be accessible and inclusive, so people with and without disabilities come together and participate together in the activities that they want to be doing.”

Q. How is RAA trying to give people with and without disabilities the chance to participate in recreational activities together?

A. Our solution is to develop a model that would allow us to go into those spaces and mentor them, to be able to understand and apply knowledge for them to become inclusive in their operations. Every day that a business is open, anybody and everybody can come in and participate together. Recreation, sports, tourism. Typically, these might be municipal recreation centers, community recreation centers, concert venues, things that people do for enjoyment, for health and wellness. It could be a kayak rental company, a museum, a game hall. We’re working with libraries to make sure they’re inclusive as well.

Q. How does your nonprofit help organizations become more inclusive?

A. Our model was to go in with this mentored consultation. If you have the right knowledge base and understanding around disability culture, and you have knowledge around how to apply inclusive principles, you can apply those principles so that there are some definitive changes.

Q. Can you give some examples of such changes?

A. In essence, creating the most welcoming welcome mat that one could roll out for their business. That starts way back on their website, way back on any kind of brochures or fliers about their business and what it is that people perceive as the invitation. Now, these businesses that we’re working with have accessibility tabs where they’re able to list out things that they have, that they’ve done, that allow for more inclusive experiences.

Q. What might a library, for example, do to become more welcoming of people with disabilities?

A. One of the libraries intentionally lowered their computers. They had had the browsing computer at a standing height, so that meant anybody coming in on a scooter or in a wheelchair could not use the browsing computer to go find a book. They put that on an adjustable stand so that now no matter what height they [patrons] are, they’re able to move that so they can use it correctly. They have adjustable-height desks in their computer areas now. They have scooters that are available for patrons to use around the library.

Q. What services does RAA offer directly to members of the disabled community?

A. We work closely with people with disabilities, understanding what they’re interested in, what their situation is and matching them to some places where they’re able to go. Erie Canal Boat Company, people can kayak and cycle there. Ludus Fencing Studio, people can learn to fence there. We also have a youth wheelchair basketball program, wheelchair lacrosse, wheelchair tennis, pickleball.

Q. What challenges does RAA face?

A. We as a society need to understand that inclusion is for all of us. The person with the disability is somebody’s child, somebody’s parent, somebody’s relationship. It would be really swell if people would just realize this isn’t special, its 26% of the population. It’s all of us.