Access to Independence

10/01/2026

Join Us for Barrier Free Trivia Night!

Get ready for an awesome in-person trivia night where everyone’s welcome! This event is a general trivia fundraiser with extra considerations for folks with disabilities. ASL interpreters, CART captioning, large print formats, mobility device friendly tables, and more will be provided to accommodate folks of all abilities.

Whether you're a trivia whiz or just in it for the fun, this event is all about good vibes and great company, all while supporting Access to Independence! We're so excited to be hosting this event at Delta B**r Lab! November can't come soon enough :)

Monday, November 23rd from 5-8:30pm
Tickets are limited! Get yours today!

Learn and register today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/barrier-free-trivia-night-tickets-2002541348079?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

09/29/2026

Envision Downtown Madison is a strategic partnership between the City of Madison, Wisconsin Government and Downtown Madison, Inc. that will guide the future of downtown.

On Wednesday, October 14th from 4:30-6:30pm Envision Downtown Madison is seeking input from folks with disabilities. Share your thoughts on potential initiatives and ideas that could guide the future of Downtown Madison!

This is a hybrid event and can be joined in person or online.
To register, please email [email protected] or call 608-242-8484

The in-person portion will take place at the Access to Independence office located at 3810 Milwaukee Street, Madison, WI 53714.

To request interpretation, translation or a disability-related accommodation at no cost to you, contact 608-242-8484 or [email protected].

Learn more about Envision Downtown Madison: https://www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/plans-projects/area-plans/downtown

09/28/2026

The deadline for applications has been extended to October 9th.

All students with disabilities who apply are accepted to the program!

National Disability Employment Awareness Month begins next week on October 1st. In honor of NDEAM, the City of Madison, Wisconsin Government, Disability Rights and Services Program and the Department of Human Resources host the Inspiring Student Professionals in Residence (INSPIRE) program. This is an opportunity for students with disabilities (high school age and beyond) to explore career paths and learn about public service.

The Inspiring Student Professionals in Residence INSPIRE program is hosted by the City of Madison, Disability Rights and Services Program and Department of Human Resources in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. We hope to inspire young people to work in public service and to foster diversity in the City’s workforce. High school, college, and technical school students with disabilities who are seeking job-shadowing experience with the City of Madison are encouraged to apply.

INSPIRE participants will have the opportunity to explore future employment opportunities by shadowing City staff on the job for the day. They'll learn about different jobs by observing one or more positions at the worksite.

If you know of students, educators, parents, or other community members who may have an interest, please share this info with them.

INSPIRE applications due: September 30, 2026. Positions will be selected on a first come first served basis.

Job Shadowing date: October 21, 2026

Link to apply is below⤵️

https://tinyurl.com/Inspire-program

09/16/2026

Thank you Dane Buy Local and Community Living Alliance for hosting us at the most recent Thrive and Shine event yesterday!

We had a great time connecting with other accessibility-focused organizations and sharing how we can create a community where people of all disabilities, ages, and identities can thrive.

If you're interested in ways to make your home, workplace, website, or event more accessible please visit us at https://www.accesstoind.org/services

09/15/2026

Did you know that many emergency plans often don't properly account for people with disabilities?

Aaspire intern Alex Brady is leading a conversation with the disabled community to inform and learn about these realities.

🗓️- 09/15/26
⏲️- 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
🗺️-Madison Municipal Building or Online

Follow the link below to join the conversation⤵️

https://tinyurl.com/eventbrite-disability

09/09/2026

We can't wait!

⏰ The Countdown is On!

Join Dane Buy Local on Tuesday, September 15th for a morning focused on Building a More Accessible Dane County Together.

Enjoy breakfast, connect with accessibility-focused organizations, and hear from Access to Independence on how we can create a community where people of all disabilities, ages, and identities can thrive.

📍 Community Living Alliance, 1414 MacArthur Road, Madison
🕢 September 15 | 7:30–9:00am

Save your spot — we can't wait to see you there!

https://danebuylocal.com/event/dane-buy-local-quarterly-thrive-shine-breakfast-building-a-more-accessible-dane-county-together/

09/02/2026

Join Independence First - The Resource for People with Disabilities virtually for September’s Learn & Advocate Lunch Series, featuring Brian Peters for “Advocating with ADA in Real Life”

Using curriculum from the ADA National Network, participants will explore how different titles of the ADA apply to everyday life, learn to recognize potential violations, and discuss approaches to disability advocacy.

Virtual meeting: Thursday, September 10, from noon–1 p.m.
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83469954745?pwd=BgRghUxgTOmSqxDzfhXjgTNw9iC375.1

Learn more:
https://www.independencefirst.org/Events/Learn-and-Advocate-Lunch-Series---Advocating-with-ADA-in-Real-Life.htm?Occurrence=2026-09-10T12:00:00

08/26/2026

We were thrilled to see WKOW 27 cover our Adaptive Gaming Expo! Check out the video and article featuring our Executive Director, Jason Beloungy, gaming legend Randy Fitzgerald, and our Accessibility Services Coordinator Ben!

MADISON, Wis. — The third annual Adaptive Gaming Expo brought together people with disabilities, families, organizations and vendors to showcase accessible and inclusive gaming.

08/25/2026

🧡⭐️We are so thrilled with this year's Adaptive Gaming Expo! This past Saturday brought together people of all ages and abilities for a fun and unique event open to anyone with an interest in video games, virtual reality, accessibility, disability inclusion, and community building! 🧡⭐️

🎮 Thank you to everyone who came out this year! It was great to see so many folks come out to game, shop, learn, and play at this year's expo. We can't wait to continue to grow this event and continue to make the gaming community more diverse, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone.

👾 This event has many moving parts and simply would not be possible without the help and support of many different organizations who helped make this year such a success.

⭐️ The Adaptive Gaming Expo was full of the latest adaptive equipment and full of game play all day! Thank you so much to Access Elevator, Inc. Git Gud Lounge, Midstate Independent Living Choices, Inc. Independence First - The Resource for People with Disabilities, Society's Assets, Isthmian Gaming and our very own Ben Hinkel at Access to Independence for setting up such a great display this year!

🧡Thank you to Randy Fitzgerald and Dayton Armani for all of the help leading up to the expo and coming through with such great keynote presentations for gamers and developers!

⭐️Thank you to Professor Michael Biehler of UW-Madison Industrial and Systems Engineering Department and his team for hosting a very successful Build Your Own Controller Workshop! It was really amazing to see people complete and play a game with a controller they built from scratch!

🧡To our amazing vendors, thank you for sharing your amazing products and community services! Arts for All Wisconsin Disability Pride Madison Luka Motel , Molina Healthcare, WisTech Assistive Technology Advisory Council, Guildpact Games -Games, , Access Elevator, Inc., Limbitless Wisconsin, ,

⭐️A big thank you to all of the staff and volunteers who dedicated their Saturday to the event and helped keep everything running smoothly!

🧡Thank you to MYArts-Madison Youth Arts Center for allowing us to use their beautiful space and to their staff for being so accommodating!

⭐️Thank you to Just Bakery/ A JustDane Initiative for the DELICIOUS bakery items!

🧡And of course, none of this would be possible without the support of our sponsors! Thank you WisTech Assistive Technology Advisory Council, Molina Healthcare Access Elevator, Inc. Isthmian Gaming Old National Bank Madison Gas and Electric Park Bank Summit Credit Union and