Finding Your Community: Experiences at the No Barriers Summit

Today we have a special episode for you. We are sharing some one on one interviews with No Barriers Summit participants from this past June at Lake Tahoe. Our host, Jeff Evans, took a “man on the street” approach and got firsthand accounts from various folks to talk about their personal experiences. He spoke with Veterans, teachers, coaches, parents and many more people who were taking part in different activities to get their feedback and their personal takeaways.

Jeff meets up with Lanelle, a participant who just took part in the No Barriers activity: The Amazing Race. Like the show on TV teams move through various obstacles and work together to complete the challenges. The No Barriers version is all accessible and you might be paired up with a blind person, someone who is using a wheelchair, or a family of 4! The half day event proves that these physical differences aren't important when you unite around a common Vision. Lanelle is taking part in the No Barriers Warriors (she's a special educator) and hopes to bring back the lessons she learns here at the Summit and during Warriors expeditions to bring back to her students.

Next, Jeff connects with a trio of Warriors who also just wrapped up at the Amazing Race. One participant speaks about starting her own Non profit dedicated to encouraging Veterans to choose meditation over medication. Having previously completed a Warriors program she had taken a hiatus but speaks to the importance of coming to the Summit to reconnect with her teammates:

"It gets lonely out there and coming to events like this it reminds you of why you're doing it, but it also helps you find your battle buddies. We look out for each other, we keep each other going and it's good to come back together and reengage - to link arms and go back out in the world." 

The trio is headed together to Mt. Baker and then Mt. Rainier following the Summit. Jeff wishes them the best and heads to his next activity: Improv.

After Improv wraps, Jeff meets Dan and gets his thoughts. Dan is a football and baseball Coach in his home life and he appreciated the way the facilitators broke down the process and got the group to be open, receptive, and ignore their fear - much like he does as a Coach. 

Following Improv, Jeff heads to a workshop with Mandy Harvey, a jazz singer who happens to be deaf and 3rd place winner on America's Got Talent. He meets with Andrew H. who was blown away by the different tactics Mandy introduced the group to in order to experience music in different ways.  By being more grounded and tuning in with more focus it leads to a deeper experience.  He likens it to his personal meditation practice. 

Andrew works with folks with Autism and wants to take back Mandy's tools to bring to his classroom. He is already considering using a drum circle and having his students use a tactile vest or even a balloon to feel the vibrations of the music. Another example of No Barriers activities sparking ideas and creativity for people to not just enjoy in the moment but to introduce lessons back home to enhance their communities.

Jeff then gets the chance to speak to Megan K. a wonderful young woman who came to the Summit on a Reach scholarship. Megan is almost entirely blind and also has a powerful, lovely voice. At the end of the clinic she sang a duet with Mandy that must be heard to truly appreciate the beauty of that moment. 

Lastly, Jeff meets with Melissa S., a young woman with cerebral palsy from Leadville, CO, who has also been enjoying her time at the Summit. Melissa and Jeff bond over a love of the band, Journey, and Jeff admits that watching her reaction to Mandy's music brought him to tears. 

The Summit is for people from all walks of life with all types of challenges - whether physical, mental or invisible. The Summit experience is as diverse as the people who attend and we wanted to showcase these individual testimonies. 

The next No Barriers Summit takes place in San Francisco, September 2020 and we hope to see you there. 

Visit NoBarriersUSA.org to sign up for updates.