Changing Disability Conversations

If you walk through a public park or a college campus, you’ll see well-worn trails that lead off the sidewalk and cut through the grass. These are known as “desire paths,” and they are created by people wanting to take the shorter, more direct (or more fun) way to their destination, even though it is not the preapproved way.

Desire Path: Dreaming Access Art is a series of learning materials about artful access created by The Curiosity Paradox, a Disabled-led organization reimagining Disability access through consulting, workshops, and interactive art. “Access Art” is an evolving movement that aims to create access for and by multiply-marginalized Disabled people and that shifts the conversation beyond what Disabled people need and on to what they want.

“The lives of Disabled people are beautiful and meaningful, and we deserve access to spaces led by us that are beautiful and enrich us,” said Grant Miller, Access Artist with The Curiosity Paradox.

In 2021, The Curiosity Paradox was awarded a sponsorship from Civic Life’s Disability Leadership Sponsorship and Grant opportunity which helped fund Desire Path. The sponsorship supports ways for people with disabilities, especially those who experience oppression related to intersecting identities, to engage in local government and their communities.

The Curiosity Paradox collaborated with other Disabled and non-Disabled artists and activists to discuss what Access Art is and why it is important, and developed these free, opensource learning materials for anyone to use. The project will launch in a free virtual event on Friday, Feb. 18, at 6 p.m., and will have closed captions, ASL interpretation, as well as audio description for pre-recorded parts of the event.

You can find out more and register for the event here: DesirePathProject.com