Conferences don’t have to be a full-contact sport.

Case in point: the ASHOKO Youth Venture Showcase which “supports youth to create positive social change through the application of business principles.” Aspirational goals. Individual action. Civic engagement. So far, so good.

I surveyed the scene: a conference room filled with milling people and three-part poster boards on tables. I came alone without my self-appointed blockers, those friends of mine who can help clear the way in a crowded room.

I took a deep breath and prepared to push down field. I looked for open spaces and tried to stay on the outside of the scrum. My inner coach advises me: “Spread the field and look for daylight.” But the scrum moves. It is its own organism, and so it can trapped me. I was a one-man team, running back the kickoff. I had to make people move. I gently touched arms. I asked people to move. I finally broke free but was no longer on the field. The student presentations were lost on me. I couldn’t even get in the game. Time to hit the showers and start strategizing for the new tilt.

I waited a day after the event to engage with the organizers. They were receptive. We talked about room set up and customer service and the myriad ways that conference planners can help people with disabilities navigate events.

Fast forward to the second Showcase. Prior to the event, students talked with conference organizers regarding accessibility. Our conversation was turned into a tip sheet: face people when you are talking to them and maintain eye contact, use larger fonts on the posters to increase readability, limit the amount of text on the poster, pass out printed copies, look out for people who might need assistance.

Message received.

The overall space was twice as large as the previous one. With a larger field, I had more room to operate. Students looked directly at me. They engaged me in their presentations. They offered printed material as soon as I mentioned it was difficult to read parts of their posters. Several asked if I needed help to negotiate the space. One student escorted me from her area to the next poster board session I wanted to see. I had teammates. And we had a coordinated game plan. I was able to move around the field with relative ease. When I headed to the showers this time I was not battered and bruised, physically or emotionally. I was elated with the “win” and the overall improvement my new team had made.

So no fears of concussions or scarring for this event. I saw social change in action. I was reminded of how many players want to join the fight for access.