Opening Doors Maryland

April 2025 | Baltimore

The two-day convening launched "Opening Doors to Home Accessibility" — an action research initiative ensuring children with disabilities and their families live in homes that support their safety, aspirations, and wellbeing.

Convening Activities

The two-day event was designed to activate and mobilize diverse stakeholders around cross-sector partnership and ignite systems change. Day 1 focused on centering family stories through film, audio, and immersive exhibits. Day 2 brought participants into deeper dialogue through panels and co-design activities aimed at identifying gaps and building cross-sector solutions.

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Overview: Why & What?

Fireside Chat

Barriers & Opportunities

Why Home Accessibility Matters

Reflections & Closing

Systems and Stories that Shape Home Accessibility

At the center of the convening space was a home-like installation featuring the stories and systems that shape home accessibility. On the inside, participants walked through different “rooms”—from the kitchen to the living space—experiencing the emotional and physical realities of inaccessible vs accessible home design through photography and storytelling. They also learned about the challenges families face regarding space, layout, equipment, and caregiving. On the outside of the “home,” participants engaged with information on systemic forces affecting access to home modification resources, including rental policies, funding limitations, eligibility barriers, and institutional practices.

Collaborators in Action

A NYC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates, builds, and provides custom, low-cost adaptive equipment—primarily using durable, specialized cardboard—to improve the functional capabilities of children and adults with disabilities.

A global non-profit movement that connects innovators, designers, and engineers with people with disabilities (often called "need-knowers") to create affordable, open-source assistive technology.

A state agency dedicated to improving the lives of Marylanders with disabilities by promoting equality, access, and independent living. It coordinates policies, evaluates services, and provides information across areas such as housing, transportation, employment, and education.

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© 2025 Opening Doors to Home Accessibility