I am told to eat fresh fruits and vegetables at each doctor’s visit
I understand this advice, if I could I would follow it
But I earn minimal wage and live in a food desert
Fresh food is not accessible to me, I cannot convert
Into a healthy eater when healthy food is out of reach for me
I continue to struggle with food insecurity
*
I am wheelchair bound and I try to be
As independent as I can, but it can be tricky
When there are no ramps or elevators in sight
When places don’t accommodate my wheelchair, and I fight
To literally get my foot in the door
I wish places were designed to be more
Accommodating for those with disability
I am limited by inaccessibility not inability
*
I would love to study further but there are no institutions here
Colleges in other cities are inaccessible to me, I fear
I don’t have the means to move out of my town right now
I still dream one day college would be accessible, somehow
***
In order to build a world just and equitable
Accessibility should be the focus, to enable
People from communities marginalized
To have equal access to resources to fully realize
Their potential- they do not need handouts or charity
They need the same tools as the dominant groups to reduce disparity
So when for the future people brainstorm, plan and design
Diverse voices should be included in order to align
The principles of equity with practice on the ground
The aim should be to increase accessibility all around
Passion...unbridled 
Where I live, they are/were focused on affordable housing. Who it is affordable for is a joke. The city wanted to cut down on traffic accidents so installed some ridiculous barriers on the street that became barricades that prohibited people from crossing. I question who they poll about these things? Obviously, not the people who should be giving input. Yes, this post definitely struck a nerve. Great post.
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Thank you- people don’t need handouts as much as they need equitable opportunities and access to those opportunities in multiple ways.
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