At the Abilities Expo 2025 in Chicago, we enjoy the bustling noise of a community built on independence, resourcefulness, and zero tolerance for pity. With Katy Roberts as our guide, we explore how this decades-strong event turns accessibility from a checkbox into a living, breathing experience where disabled people don’t blend in—they lead.
Katy Roberts walks us through what makes the Expo different: hundreds of vendors you can actually touch and test, adaptive sports and mobility demos that invite participation, and a layout designed around dignity. We trace the event’s roots back to 1979 and its growth across seven cities, then dig into the mindset shift that happens when disability is the majority in the room. That shift unlocks confidence, connection, and a practical swagger that says help is welcome but condescension isn’t. Along the way, we challenge the tired narrative that a disability event is “sad” and show why it’s a celebration of agency and problem-solving.
Katy shares how her background in exhibitions, her UK perspective on the Disability Act, and her mom’s MS inform the small details that matter—clear signage, rest spaces, trained staff, and access that goes beyond legal minimums. We talk about ADA compliance as a starting point, not a finish line, and why better design grows markets and reduces friction for everyone. You’ll hear about standout guests—from a traveler who’s visited 53 countries to a Boston Marathon bombing survivor—whose stories center curiosity, resilience, and community, not clichés.
If you’re near LA, New York, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Fort Lauderdale, or Dallas, check abilities.com for dates and resources, including product demos you can watch from home. If this conversation moved you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a boost, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find the show. Your voice helps this community stay loud.
