Neurodivergent mother of three children with cognitive disabilities, Kendra (Kay) Patterson proposed the Accessibility Student Council (ASC) to SGA in March. ASC Founder Patterson is also a 37-year-old senior at UMKC majoring in liberal arts with a minor in psychology.
“My journey through higher education has spanned nearly two decades, not because of a lack of dedication,” said Patterson. “Because the systems meant to support students like me were never designed with us in mind.”
Patterson said that her experiences with her children and her own education are what inspired the creation of ASC.
“This work is my story,” said Patterson. “I’ve walked through life being misunderstood, dismissed and denied support because my disabilities weren’t visible or severe enough.”
The ASC has already started working towards the launch of the first Accessibility Career Fair, presenting ideas for more inclusive housing options and “Access Granted,” a docuseries to promote awareness on campus.
“Our initiatives are rooted in lived experience, research and community partnership,” said Patterson. “We’re not just advocating for better experiences, we’re designing them.”
The goals ASC is premiering this spring include funding sensory-friendly zones on campus, assistive technology workshops, establishing a physical office on campus for ASC, peer mentorships and support groups and the launch of the first ever accessible career fair on campus.
“Accessibility isn’t a luxury or an afterthought, it’s a right,” said Patterson.
Though workshops, peer mentorship programs and accessibility awareness programs will be easy initiatives to get funded for ASC, work is needed to improve the physical inclusivity on campus.
“Redesigning physical spaces or fully implementing universal design in digital learning takes more time and planning,” said Shannon Wheeler, Roo Wellness-Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Assistant Director. “But that doesn’t mean they’re out of reach.”
SAS is an official partner with ASC and they are “in for the long haul,” said Wheeler. Amidst the anti-DEI initiatives at UMKC, student and campus initiatives like ASC and SAS showcase the need for an accessible learning experience
“There’s also a lack of training, limited funding and institutional fatigue around DEI work as a whole,” said Patterson. “Especially in the current political climate.”
There are many changes ASC plans to bring to campus, and among those is a massive initiative to raise awareness of disabilities in classrooms, with professors, in administration and across the student body.
“Your voice matters,” said Wheeler. “At the same time, stigma and barriers still exist.”
To anyone interested in learning more about ASC or getting involved in the council, you can reach Founder Kay Patterson at kmpzkp@umkc.edu.
![Alex Unseth [left] and Yasmen Hassen [right] speaking at the dinner.](https://kcroonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SGA-1-1200x800.jpg)
