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World Games visitors may notice complimentary sensory bags with noise canceling headphones, fidget tools, and “feeling thermometers” located at the entrances to different events.
They’re a product of the World Games’ partnership with Birmingham-based KultureCity, the nation’s leading nonprofit for sensory accessibility.
Earlier this year, KultureCity opened three sensory rooms around the city: one at Protective Life Stadium and two at the BJCC. Their purpose is to provide a calming and accessible area for those with autism and other sensory issues to decompress in a private setting.
Founder Julian Maha says the concept of KultureCity originated from a negative experience at a barber shop. Maha was trying to calm his son, who is autistic, during a “meltdown” when a stranger grabbed the boy and yelled. The incident prompted Maha to think of ways to make public spaces more accessible for people with sensory issues.
Maha and his wife and co-founder, Dr. Michele Kong, faced several obstacles during the early stages of building their nonprofit. Chief among them was the challenge of bringing the public’s attention to the issues they were trying to resolve.
“We were dealing with something that a lot of people did not realize or did not understand,” Maha said. “So there was a fundamental issue of awareness around the topic of invisible disability and sensory needs.”
Today, KultureCity has implemented more than 900 sensory inclusive spaces in more than five countries. In addition to the World Games, future plans include training Birmingham’s first responders to better interact with those with sensory needs, and providing sensory tents for Coldplay’s European tour.
KultureCity also has mobile sensory accessible options if businesses do not have the space to build a sensory room and any variety of locations can apply for their services through a form located on their website. Maha said the organization has served locations ranging from small public libraries to large sports stadiums.
For a location to become certified by KultureCity, Maha said the most important thing is training. Fifty percent of all full-time employees must undergo training, after which KultureCity will provide sensory bags or -- if space allows -- build a sensory room. Following this the business is added to the organization’s system through an app as the final step before becoming certified.
Maha said the cost for businesses to go through this process is evaluated on a case-by-case basis but should cost most businesses no more than $750 a year and this price is also to ensure services remain free to those who need them.
“The biggest thing to understand with this is it is the right thing to do for the community because a lot of these individuals have remained isolated for so long because of these challenges and because the community is not understanding them,” said Maha.
Maha explained how this lack of understanding can have deadly consequences and shared the story of Linden Cameron, a 13-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome who was shot by Salt Lake City police in 2020 when responding to his mother’s call for assistance with a meltdown.
Following the shooting the mayor of Salt Lake City reached out to a local contact who had worked with KultureCity before and asked to set up police training for individuals with sensory issues.
From that six-month training, KultureCity’s law enforcement training program was born. Maha said in the time they were training in Salt Lake City the organization helped prevent eight potential shootings that would have occurred had the police not received said training.
He said after COVID the law enforcement training program quickly grew and is now responsible for training both Alabama and Tennessee state troopers every year as well as local police and fire departments across the country.
“We were one of the weird nonprofits in that we actually grew significantly during COVID, and COVID also allowed us to go more virtual which really helped us scale a lot more of what we could do,” said Maha.
Maha shared that nearly ten years after it’s inception the inspiration for KultureCity, his son, loves the organization and that it has enabled him to go places he was never able to go before due to fear of judgement.
“I think that’s kind of the beauty of the whole thing we do. Sensory needs aren’t just autism, even though that’s sort of the one that gets all the press. Sensory needs can be things like PTSD or mental health challenges. Invisible disabilities can be acquired, and I think that’s something we all need to be aware of,” Maha said in reference to KultureCity’s website which stresses the importance of acceptance for those with sensory needs instead of just awareness.
If a venue is interested in becoming Sensory Inclusive™ they can email support@kulturecity.org to get started without a wait period.
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