On March 22, 2026, I joined the Angel City Sports Youth Weekend’s panel, EveryBODY Belongs: Adaptive Play, Confidence, and Community, alongside A.J. Munoz-Bond and Joe Holt, moderated by two-time Paralympic gold medalist and Angel City Sports co-founder Ezra Frech.

The conversation centered on something bigger than sports.

Adaptive sports create opportunities for movement, confidence, competition, community, and belonging. For many disabled children and youth, access to athletics and recreation has historically been limited despite the important role participation can play in physical health, social connection, identity, and joy.

One message remained clear throughout the discussion:

The challenge is often not individual ability, but whether environments, programs, and communities were designed with access in mind.

The panel explored how adaptive recreation, inclusive design, and community support can influence opportunities available to young people as they grow.

I have so much love and admiration for Angel City Sports and leaders expanding what participation can look like when access is considered from the beginning rather than added later.

Because every person deserves opportunities to move, play, compete, connect, and belong, exactly as they are.