CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When people arrive at a movie theater, it’s typically an opportunity to see the latest showing on the big screen.
For Stephanie Sutka and Kevin Garcia, it’s not always that easy.
“As a parent with a child who has disabilities, you know, disabilities that are not necessarily visible but people, bystanders can tell these kids are different,” Garcia shared.
The two are parents to two boys with autism. They said it can make doing activities, like going to the movies, a task.
“I didn’t even bother to take my son to the movies," Sutka said. "I was like, I want to go to a kid’s movies, but I don’t want him to ruin the experience for other people and don’t want him to be stressed out."
Last May, Sutka decided to rent out a private theater.
“Since I’m already renting out an entire theater, I invited some local moms and a local group,” she recalled.
Through the power of social media, Sutka said they were able to pack the theater.
“Together we realized that there was such this positive response to it,” Sutka said. “And think that people were starving for that inclusive environment and looking for community, because it’s very isolating being a parent with a child with disabilities because you kind of realize we are a little different.”
Shortly after, the couple started the Accessible Charlotte, also known as AccessCLT.
“You realize that you’re not alone; you build community with other people," Garcia said. "It just makes you feel normal. You get to feel like this is an experience that other parents feel."
AccessCLT puts on events and play dates, and helps provide resources to connect with families impacted by disabilities in any capacity.
“I’ll cut people's grass for free; I’ll get contractors and they’ll agree to do it for me and cut grass for people who have a disability or maybe can’t do it themselves or people who have a child who does, and they don’t have the time to allocate to something like that," Sutka said.
For both Garcia and Sutka, creating this organization is an opportunity to show up and fill a big role.
“I felt like it was nice to have people who got me,” Sutka said.
Right now, AccessCLT is working to get its 501(c)(3) status.
Contact Nick Sturdivant at nsturdiva1@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.