How the “Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma” impacted one accessibility team member
Sometimes, getting an up close and personal look at the work you try so passionately and diligently to perfect can make all the difference.
Bhree Barrett can attest to that. Earlier this year, the accessibility surveyor at The McIntosh Group was invited to judge the “Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma” contest in Tulsa, Okla. (held at The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges.”
It was there that Bhree had the opportunity to see first hand how this exceptional group of women are embracing their challenges and serving as ambassadors for the cause.
The “Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma” competition is based on an individual’s advocacy, achievement, communication, and presentation. The selected representative must be able to communicate both the needs and the accomplishments of her constituency to the general public, the business community and the legislature.”
The competition enabled her to garner a greater appreciation for the work she does. Bhree travels the nation measuring for ADA compliance and identifying barriers to accessibility so that businesses and municipalities can be more accommodating to individuals with disabilities.
“This pageant was very impactful for me,” Bhree says. “There is so much we [able-bodied individuals] take for granted, and this event put a lot of different things into perspective for me. I love marshmallow peeps – and as the saying goes, ‘Inside we’re all the same.’ We face similar challenges and experience the same emotions. Just because you are in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you are any different.”
For more information on the “Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma” event, visit www.mswheelchairamerica.org.
This article was originally published in Commercial Transformations, a McIntosh Group publication in Commercial Construction & Renovation magazine. View the original publication: Commercial Transformations Volume 3 Issue 1: Clearing a Path