Life is filled with struggle. Like a really long race filled with walls and hurdles. But imagine that from the beginning of this race, you were at a disadvantage. Like maybe you couldn’t use your legs, or maybe you had a blindfold on for the duration of the race. For some, these setbacks are a reality. In Central New York, these individuals have Arise.

ARISE is a consumer-controlled, non-profit Independent Living Center that promotes the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the community. Their mission is to work with people of all abilities to create a fair and just community in which everyone can fully participate.

“There’s no reason why anybody should be excluded from anything they want to participate in.” Said Richelle Maki, The Program Coordinator for ARISE’s winter ski program.

“So we’re here to make sure that that happens, to make sure that everybody has the opportunity to live life to its fullest potential regardless of what limitations have been placed on them because of accidents or because of genetics or because of how things happened when you were born.”

Showing individuals they have abilities, rather than focusing on disabilities, giving them a different perspective in the race of life.