The lack of proactivity from the government to create an equitable society and meet the basic needs of disabled people have resulted in frustrations within the disabled community. As a result, independent initiatives are rising in the gaps where institutions fail the public. Enable Boston and the Student Disability Alliance (SDA) are two causes meant to raise awareness, de-stigmatize disabilities, and increase accessibility in the community. Together, they explore the challenges of trying to work with higher power to implement genuine change. 

“I just want to engage with as many people as I can, disabled or otherwise, because, you know, as long as people are talking about it, it’s not going to disappear. So that’s kind of the main goal. That’s kind of all we can do as students–is just talk about it and advocate for each other and just try and get, I don’t know, a petition going, something to make administration pay attention,” says Ivy Sigerson, a founder of the Mills College at Northeastern’s Student Disability Alliance.

The SDA focuses on increasing accessibility on campus while Enable Boston’s serves as a ministry to Park Street Church, ensuring that people with disabilities and their families can access church life and activities.

Director of Enable Boston, Leslie Bodkin says, “It isn’t that the government has no responsibility, but I’m not. I’m not convinced. If we say, oh, let’s totally put it in the hands of the government that we’re going to see the results we want to see.”