Limitations + Plans for Improvement


We recognize multiple areas where we intend to improve the space and our offerings to be more accessible to our community.

  • The space has strong acoustics and can become very loud when there are many people in the space. We intend to purchase or create items to dampen the sound from bouncing off the surface of the walls.
  • We are working to make our bathroom space ADA accessible. Multiple obstacles, including our management company and funds, remain.
  • We plan to replace the fluorescent lights.

Accessibility is an ongoing process and we hope to continue to engage with the disability community outside of those who self-identify and are on the steering committee. If you are part of our disabled community or are not yet disabled and have resources, ideas, or would like to get involved to support, please reach out. 


General Accessibility

How to get here + Parking

  • Street parking
  • Alley way behind center can be used for dropping off, loading + unloading (do not park there)
  • Bus line on NE MLK (#6) 
    – Northbound stop is North of the center across NE Morris
    – Southbound stop is South of the center across NE MLK Blvd
  • One bike rack located at entrance of the center

Physical accessibility

Front door

  • Not power-assisted, sticks sometimes
  • 37.5” wide
  • Slight incline from sidewalk 

Path of travel

  • Open floor plan
  • Vinyl floors with three floor rugs
  • Furniture dependent on event + can be moved around

Seating

  • 2-person couch with arms
  • Chairs with arms x 4
  • Folding chairs without arms x 21
  • Movable cushions for folding chairs x 12
  • Cushioned bottom and back folding chair x 1

Restroom

  • Not ADA accessible
  • 31” open door frame to back space
  • 18.5” space between sink and bathroom entrance
  • No grab bar available in the restroom

Service animals

  • Service animals are welcome

Sensory accessibility

  • Large windows on one side of room for natural light
  • Multiple floor light options
  • Overhead lighting is fluorescent
  • We strive to include clear, easy-to-read signage (sans serif fonts, large type, etc)
  • For screenings we provide subtitles + closed captions when available
  • We have a central heater + smaller A/C window unit

Please submit feedback or raise concerns about accessibility by contacting us HERE

Mask Policy

How we prevent the spread of airborne disease at the SWANA Rose Culture + Community Center

Following is an abridged version with the main points of our Masks Policy, please click HERE for the full version with more details.

Masks are required at the SWANA Rose Culture + Community Center. Based on scientific evidence and the access needs of our community, we at the SWANA Rose understand that we are living in an ongoing, lethal and disabling COVID-19 pandemic. Our policies exist to protect our community.

We require masks at the SWANA Rose because:

  1. There is concrete evidence that universal masking significantly reduces the spread of not only COVID-19, but all airborne illnesses (i.e the flu, RSV, TB, and H5N1). 
  2. Our community is made up of disabled people, children, and elders whose lives are worth protecting. 
  3. We reject the normalization of mass death. 

The nitty gritty: 

We define “mask” as a high quality, high filtration respirator such as an N95, KN95, or Kf94. If you do not have your own, SWANA Rose can provide you with a high-filtration mask at the front door. We have many styles and sizes to fit most ages and sizes of people, toddler through adult. 

We define “wearing” a mask as having the mask be fully covering the areas it’s designed to on your face, including both your nose and mouth.

We also offer free COVID rapid antigen tests, and provide HEPA air purifiers for additional layers of protection at our space. 

Any gathering held at the SWANA Rose Culture + Community Center will be masks required. 

Any media, whether physical or virtual, that promote events at the SWANA Rose must have “masks required” clearly stated on the flyer. 

The SWANA Rose has physical reminders on the outside and inside of the space that state that masks are required. 

Please do not attend any SWANA Rose events if you are experiencing any cold or flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, or vomiting, regardless of if you are currently testing negative for COVID-19. 

Please do not attend any SWANA Rose Events if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or the flu within the last 5 days. 

What about food & drink? 

Our masking policy does not mean that food and drink cannot be features of your gathering. People may briefly lower their masks indoors between sips and bites. 

For eating a larger meal (something more than just a small snack) unmasked, we provide tables and chairs to eat in our back alley. 

What about children that are too young (generally under the age of 2) to mask?

Children who are too young to mask may attend SWANA Rose events.

Please be aware there may be other small children who are also unable to mask in the space at the same time as yours.

What about presenters or performers who wish to not wear a mask during the duration of their presentation/performance?

We ask that it is clearly communicated in the initial application to use SWANA Rose that a performer or speaker will be unmasked. We also ask that any advertising for this event will have this information.

We require 2 negative rapid tests, one 48 hrs before the event, and one on the morning of the event, and that the information that the performer has taken two negative tests 48 hours apart is communicated to attendees. We can provide you with the necessary tests on request. 

How do we navigate conflicting access needs? 

We ask that people only consider themselves unable to wear a mask if they are (or predict they highly likely will be) actively experiencing symptoms that affect their ability to wear a mask during the scheduled time of an event at the SWANA Rose.

At the SWANA Rose, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations should wearing a high-filtration mask be genuinely inaccessible for someone who wants to participate in our programming or use the space. 

These reasonable accommodations include providing two rapid tests to be taken 48 hours apart prior to attending an event, future on-site PCR testing, future access to cooling packs, hybrid programming with virtual participation, programming that occurs outdoors with sun or rain protection, and (in some cases) wearing less-restrictive face coverings such as a bandana or surgical mask.

We ask members of the public to communicate with the host of the event about any concerns regarding another person’s masking or lack thereof, rather than directly confronting the person in question.