On Friday, March 20, 2026, community members, advocates, educators, disability service providers, and leaders from across the region gathered for “Share Your Story: Building Inclusion — One Story at a Time,” an interactive event focused on strengthening and building community through shared experiences and collaboration.
Co-hosted by the Institute for Human Development at University of Missouri–Kansas City, Platte County Board of Services, and Center for Human Services, the event created opportunities for networking, conversation, and partnership across disability services and community organizations.
Building Inclusion Through Shared Stories
The event featured members of UMKC-IHD’s WeSaid at the UCEDD initiative, whose work centers on elevating the voices and experiences of people with disabilities through storytelling, advocacy and community engagement.
Throughout the event, individuals with lived experience were given space to share personal stories about their disability journeys, including challenges, successes, and the importance of inclusive communities.
Attendees gathered in small groups where facilitators with disabilities shared prompts – What was a time you felt free? What is an obstacle you’ve faced? Pull up a picture on your phone and tell us the story of it. Everyone who felt comfortable shared their story while others listened intently.
The CEO of Platte County Board of Services Martha Jaynes then led the group in two bigger conversations – What was that [small group activity] like? What did we notice in our stories? And What do we do now? After taking in these stories, what are our declarations for the future we want to move toward? A microphone was passed around the room for people to share their thoughts and reflections.
Organizers said these conversations helped attendees better understand intellectual and developmental disabilities while reducing stigma and stereotypes. The gathering also encouraged collaboration across disability services, education, and advocacy organizations while exploring approaches grounded in the social model of disability — a framework that focuses on removing barriers and creating environments where all people can fully participate and thrive.
Featuring Keynote Speaker Rebekah Taussig
The event’s keynote speaker was Rebekah Taussig, a Kansas City-based writer, educator, and disability advocate whose work explores disability identity, representation, and culture.
Taussig holds a doctorate in Creative Nonfiction and Disability Studies and has led workshops and presentations at institutions including the University of Michigan, University of Kansas, and Davidson College. She is also widely known for her Instagram platform, @sitting_pretty, where she shares “mini-memoirs” that add nuance and authenticity to conversations about disability in everyday life.
Through her writing, teaching, and advocacy, Taussig continues to challenge stereotypes and encourage more inclusive understandings of disability and community.
As the keynote, Taussig shared her personal story of disability and reflections on the power of personal storytelling. She was also very involved in the group discussions throughout the day.
Creating Space for Leadership and Confidence
For many participants, the event was not only an opportunity to educate others, but also a chance to grow personally and professionally.
Skye VanLanduyt, one of the WeSaid speakers involved in the event, shared that helping facilitate conversations around disability inclusion allowed her to “find my voice and confidence that I could contribute meaningfully to the event and help others do the same.” She also said the event helped her “step outside of my shell” while strengthening her experience as a person with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and as a member of the UMKC Institute for Human Development community.
Keynote speaker and author Rebekah Taussig wrote a blog story titled Our Stories Matter following the event, sharing her perspective and impact from the day. She said, “as I took it all in, I was moved to witness a bigger story that went to that deep place beyond language… As the microphone moved from person to person – so many among us used to being excluded from the room or held up as a shiny token – as everyone took up space and propelled their perspective into a room full of attentive bodies, I felt a story of rare and brawny dignity in the air.”
Strengthening Community Through Collaboration
By bringing together advocates, professionals, educators, families, and individuals with lived experience, “Share Your Story” highlighted the power of storytelling as a tool for connection, understanding and systems change.
Organizers hope the event will continue inspiring partnerships that promote accessibility, belonging and meaningful inclusion throughout Kansas City and beyond.
Photos courtesy of Platte County Board of Services.
