VANESSA HARRIS RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER FOR A NEW CHICAGO

Vanessa Harris is the founder of The Strategy for Access Foundation, also known as Fun 4 The Disabled, which makes documentaries about disability justice. She has been named a 2023 Leader for a New Chicago. PHOTO BY HE SHOOTS LYFE.
Vanessa Harris is the founder of The Strategy for Access Foundation, also known as Fun 4 The Disabled, which makes documentaries about disability justice. She has been named a 2023 Leader for a New Chicago. PHOTO BY HE SHOOTS LYFE.

VANESSA HARRIS RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER FOR A NEW CHICAGO

BY TIA JONES

Vanessa Harris founded The Strategy for Access Foundation, also known as Fun 4 the Disabled,
in 2017. An engineer by training, she has multiple disabilities and wanted to do documentaries. She took a class at the Hyde Park Arts Center and discovered it was something she really liked to do.

“I find that the people that I meet in the disability community are so nice. It gives me freedom to do whatever I want. Not only that, it’s something new
and I feel comfortable doing it,” Harris said.

Harris has been named a 2023 Leader for a New Chicago by the Field Foundation, in collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation. Since 2019,
55 individuals have been recognized for their work in arts, justice, media and storytelling. The organization’s mission, which became a nonprofit
in 2019, is to ensure Chicago becomes known Internationally as a Disability- Friendly City.

The first documentary Harris made was about an art exhibit at the Hyde Park Art Center, “Color Cast,” that featured the work of Anna Kunz.
It showed how wheelchair and stroller users could interact with the multidimensional exhibit. Since the organization started, Harris has created 100
documentaries detailing activities that are accessible for those with disabilities. The organization also connects people with disabilities to events, organizations and programs that are fun and accessible.

Harris is gratified by the recognition. She didn’t think that she would be recognized for her work in the disability justice space. While she has received awards for her work in engineering, she hasn’t received as many awards in the disability industry. She knows her work in space is necessary and
important.

“People with disabilities are very marginalized and the media doesn’t spend that much time paying any attention to them. We have a lot to offer, we’re problem solvers,” she said. Harris added that oftentimes, people with disabilities have to solve their own problems, because most people don’t consider those with disabilities until they become disabled. Harris wants to use the money she received to go toward a project she wants to do. The project involves making sure the 2024 Democratic Convention is accessible to everyone.

Harris believes it is a good idea for philanthropic
organizations like the Field and MacArthur
Foundations to give grants to individuals and their organizations in the way it is doing with Leaders for a New Chicago. Sometimes organizations have to jump through hoops to receive funding and once they do receive the funding it is restricted or requires organizations to use their money and receive reimbursement. Smaller organizations might not be able to participate in grants where funds must be matched because they don’t have access to those funds.

For more information about the Strategy for Access Foundation, visit fun4thedisabled.com. For more information about Leaders for a New Chicago, visit https://tinyurl.com/ ywn528tb.

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