That's the message organizers and participants are getting out about the 2025 Houston Abilities Expo, happening Friday - Sunday at NRG Center, Hall E.
This year, the event is offering an early access hour on Sunday designed especially for people with sensory disabilities. That means they can explore a quieter environment with dimmed lighting, reduced noise, and fewer crowds.
It's an event that's critical for the city to host, according to Angel Ponce, the director of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities.
"Not many people know this, but within the city of Houston, we estimate there are about 215,000 Houstonians with disabilities, and these are just the ones that we know about that have self disclosed as having a disability," Ponce told ABC13. "Within the greater Houston area, including all the suburbs and small towns along the Houston area, we estimate that it's over a million people."
"So bringing this expo to Houston really offers an opportunity for those people who don't know where to find those resources and those important really technology equipment - type things that they otherwise wouldn't be able to get where they live at," Ponce continued.
All are welcome, from people living with disabilities to family members, friends, service providers, caregivers, and more.
The event is also about making sure people have a seat at the table, said Raquel Flores, a speaker with the AECorner Community and panelist at this year's event.
Flores, who will be attending the expo for the first time, said for those who want to be involved in advocacy, remember to treat everyone with dignity.
"Be present and put yourself in the middle of it," Flores said. "I know as uncomfortable as it can be just because there's such a negative connotation surrounding the terms that are used to define the community, be involved, be human, be kind. At the end of the day, we are all human, and I think kindness is our greatest asset and the best token, currency in the world that we can use."
Whether it's your first time attending or not, you should expect an active event.
It's set to feature everything from adaptive sports and an all-inclusive rock climbing wall to access to the latest technology in wheelchairs and mobile medical equipment.
Resources will also be available for those who are deaf and hard of hearing, blind or have low vision, or neuorodiverse. That's also why, the mayor's office says, events like these are so important in our city, especially for young people.
"I see children with disabilities attend the event, and I think for the first time they've been able to not just see other folks just like them but to learn that there is a world of opportunities that is open for them," Ponce said.
"Some of the other aspects that they will see at the expo is innovation, innovators. Start with caregivers. At the end of the day, caregivers are the prime birth. They are the birth place of all these great innovations that happen," Flores added.
For people looking for information beyond the expo, Ponce said the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities has case workers who can connect individuals to resources in their community. Contact the office at 832-394-0814 or send them an email.
The expo's hours are:
Friday, Aug. 1: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 2: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 3: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Sensory hour is from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.)
While the expo is free, parking at the center is $25, so carpooling or using public transportation, including METROLift, is encouraged.