Accessibility Date!!!: Adventuring on 2/27/20

Shayla Pettigrew, Julijana Siljanovska & Molly Whiting

Accessibility Date!!!: Adventuring on 2/27/20

We met our date in front of Memorial Union, as it is the most convenient location to meet on campus: the shuttles and buses stop there, it is easy to get to it. It is also relatively close to downtown Columbia and right down the street from our lunch spot. So, assuming our date joined us as planned, we headed towards Uprise Bakery to grab some lunch.

On our way there, we noticed how terrible it would have been for our date to roll on the sidewalks: there were a lot of cracks and holes. In addition, it was too narrow for us to walk side by side. This would have been especially difficult for our date, if they were using a wheelchair. Having to walk single-file on a date may make it pretty awkward and less conversational.

There were a few times when we had to stop and look around to try and find alternative ways to go around a crack because we were worried it might not be accessible for our date.

We made it to Uprise Bakery, but chose to go into the record store right next to it, 9th Street Video and Hitt Records. Assuming that our date is a music fan, we went inside in hopes of bonding with them over music and finding out more about their favorite bands and such.

The first thing we noticed was the fact that the aisles were way too narrow. There was no way it was wheelchair accessible; in addition, it was quite loud and stimulating to the senses, which could be overwhelming for some people. There was another area on the top floor which you could only access by taking the stairs. We left and went into Uprise.

The bakery itself was pretty spacious. We found a table right away. Getting seated might not have been such a smooth task if that particular table wasn’t available. It was not too busy when we got there, but the distance between tables could be a potential issue when there is more of a crowd present. There was also an outside patio. In order to leave the restaurant from the patio, though, there are only stairs. Our date and I would have to go back inside to use the main exit.

For entertainment, we decided it would be good to catch a movie at Ragtag Cinema, which is connected to Uprise Bakery. Ragtag has two theaters; we went inside the bigger one.The bigger theater has two seats reserved for wheelchair users. Although it’s good that the business owners kept this in mind, we do think that there could be more room for improvement because the reserved seats were very close to the big screen. It is also important to consider situations like ours, in which someone who doesn’t use a wheelchair may be on a date with someone who is. If another wheelchair comes in, it might be uncomfortable for both parties.

The bathroom inside of Uprise Bakery had two stalls, neither of which would be large enough to fit a wheelchair. Ragtag’s bathroom was more spacious and accessible.

For alone time, we chose the meditation rooms in the MU Student Center.
The meditation rooms were the perfect way to unwind after a very busy night. We made our way to the basement using the elevator, and travelled to the first meditation room available. We were able to sit and hang out enjoying time with one another. Afterwards, we spent some more time on the couches outside of the meditation room because it was easier to have a conversation outside of the curtain. The meditation rooms allowed us to have true privacy on campus, which was something we originally struggled to do. The room was great for someone who could have been overwhelmed by all of the people or events that had happened throughout the night. 

The main conflict that we noticed was navigating to the Student Center. There were many sidewalks with hard curbs, meaning that unlike other students we had to make our way all the way to the end of the street toward the crosswalk to cross. Since the Student Center is part of campus we knew it would be illegal for it to be inaccessible, which was a plus. 

We enjoyed our night and finishing in the basement of the Student Center was perfect because it was accessible and central to campus. We knew this would be a good point to depart because there was busing from the Student Center. A main issue with choosing the meditation room was that we chose it because our apartments and other housing weren’t really an option to us. Overall, it was a good date between the two of us, but it would’ve been a great date if Columbia would have been truly accessible and equitable to all abilities.