Barrier Breakers is committed not only to excellence in its products and services, but also to
disability rights, freeing our people from nursing homes and institutions, and removing barriers to
work for people with disabilities.
Barbara and Michael Knowlen started Barrier Breakers in 1990, in Lawrence, KS, with 3 posters -
Access Problems, Wheelchair Victim, and the "Wanted" poster for the generic federal/state
bureaucrat. As the posters went into print, Barbara won her appeal with Kansas VR for a stand-up
wheelchair, almost at the door of Federal District Court. This inspired the still popular, and still
accurate and useful manual, "How to Kick Ass and Win."
In Lawrence, Barbara, who had been involved in starting 2 independent living centers, in the
Missouri Ozarks, and Anadarko, OK., and a founding board member of the National Council on
Independent Living, was working as training associate for the Research and Training Center on
Independent Living at the University of Kansas. After 5 years, the grant funding for her job ran out,
and on the recommendation of a wiseacre at KU that Minnesota was a rest home for old hippies,
she and Michael moved to South St. Paul, then to Minneapolis.
"Resting" never happened. She served on Minnesota’s Statewide Independent Living Council
(SILC) and State Rehabilitation Council (SRC). With Michael’s support, Barrier Breakers grew - KU
gave permission to use its survey, the Consumer Concerns Report Method, late in 1990, and
Barbara started to write PASS’s in 1994. She used a PASS herself to get an up to date computer
system and a wonderful, unique van, known as the "Urban Assault Vehicle,." featured in the
"Handicapped Van" poster. A 1976 Ford Econoline, converted to 4 wheel drive when it was bought
in 1976 by the original owner, on oversize tires and axles, with a raised roof and commercial lift,
dark gray with plentiful rust spots, this was definitely the van of a serious activist. It got Michael and
Barbara, and others, to meetings, hearings, ADAPT actions, and rallies at the State Capitol.
Barrier Breakers was on a roll when the "PASS crash" of 1996 almost killed it, along with the 7,584
of the 10,322 PASS’s SSA killed off in 1996.
Barrier Breakers proved the old adage that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Barbara and
Michael, who often use Barrier Breakers’ resources for activism, were major players in the
successful national advocacy to save the PASS, and in working for the passage of TWWIIA - the
Ticket to Work/Work Incentives Improvement Act.
But life is about change, and Michael wanted to change his by learning to make fine furniture.
There are two places in the country where fine furniture is happening - Central New York, and the
Carolinas. After looking at personal assistance services in both places, Michael and Barbara
bought a house and 4 acres on a hill above a small town in Central New York. They moved there in
March, 1999. Since metropolitan downtown Oriskany Falls was a limited market compared to
Minneapolis, Barrier Breakers went national, writing PASS’s using e-mail, and marketing its
products and services on the Internet.
Days after the millennium New Year, Barbara got pneumonia, and spent 65 days on a vent in
intensive care, followed by a lengthy recovery at home. Michael got the word out with the FAX and
the Internet, and many of you responded with not only moral support, but financial support. Thanks
to you, Barrier Breakers weathered yet another crisis.
We had high hopes for the new millennium. The election of Bush was a warning that the need for
advocacy and hard work was back. The New York SILC contracted with Barrier Breakers to be one
of 3 regional coordinators for its Statewide Systems Advocacy Network, that was to start in
October, 2001. But of course it didn’t start on time.
We were watching CCN, waiting for my PA, who was late, and saw the first plane hit the tower. We
felt panic for the trapped and dying people on the plane and in the building. . When the second
plane hit, we knew our country had been attacked, and none of our lives would ever be the same.
The efforts of the advocates and independent living centers in New York turned first to immediate
help for the Manhattan Center. With infrastructure destroyed, access and communication for
people with disabilities was a nightmare. There was a lot to do.
The statewide network got started in mid November, and given the rocky start, won major victories
coming out of the gate - getting extensive access language in state building regulations in January,
2002, and in early February, getting the Medicaid Buy-in through the legislature. Barrier Breakers
had the statewide network contract until Oct., 2005, when it was decided the network needed one
coordinator located in Albany. It was a wonderful four year ride.
Our emphasis now is on writing PASS’s, doing workshops, and producing our manuals and
posters. We have a Canon Image Runner copier and an electric hole driller, thanks to New York’s
VR agency, and produce the PASS Kit, the Ten Commandments poster, the Handicapped Van
poster, and VR manual in house, and send images on a disk to a printer for the other posters. We
are also helped in our work by the wonderful new van in picture above. After years of not leaving
home without a Chilton Manual and tool kit, my father wanted us to have a new van - one of his last
wishes when he died at th age of 93 in 2004.
We may be on an isolated (and beautiful) little hilltop in the Central NY boonies, but in cyberspace
and our spiritual being, we feel, and are, connected to all of you.
Please get in touch with us with any national action alerts, or ways we could add to and improve
our services and products.
disability rights, freeing our people from nursing homes and institutions, and removing barriers to
work for people with disabilities.
Barbara and Michael Knowlen started Barrier Breakers in 1990, in Lawrence, KS, with 3 posters -
Access Problems, Wheelchair Victim, and the "Wanted" poster for the generic federal/state
bureaucrat. As the posters went into print, Barbara won her appeal with Kansas VR for a stand-up
wheelchair, almost at the door of Federal District Court. This inspired the still popular, and still
accurate and useful manual, "How to Kick Ass and Win."
In Lawrence, Barbara, who had been involved in starting 2 independent living centers, in the
Missouri Ozarks, and Anadarko, OK., and a founding board member of the National Council on
Independent Living, was working as training associate for the Research and Training Center on
Independent Living at the University of Kansas. After 5 years, the grant funding for her job ran out,
and on the recommendation of a wiseacre at KU that Minnesota was a rest home for old hippies,
she and Michael moved to South St. Paul, then to Minneapolis.
"Resting" never happened. She served on Minnesota’s Statewide Independent Living Council
(SILC) and State Rehabilitation Council (SRC). With Michael’s support, Barrier Breakers grew - KU
gave permission to use its survey, the Consumer Concerns Report Method, late in 1990, and
Barbara started to write PASS’s in 1994. She used a PASS herself to get an up to date computer
system and a wonderful, unique van, known as the "Urban Assault Vehicle,." featured in the
"Handicapped Van" poster. A 1976 Ford Econoline, converted to 4 wheel drive when it was bought
in 1976 by the original owner, on oversize tires and axles, with a raised roof and commercial lift,
dark gray with plentiful rust spots, this was definitely the van of a serious activist. It got Michael and
Barbara, and others, to meetings, hearings, ADAPT actions, and rallies at the State Capitol.
Barrier Breakers was on a roll when the "PASS crash" of 1996 almost killed it, along with the 7,584
of the 10,322 PASS’s SSA killed off in 1996.
Barrier Breakers proved the old adage that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Barbara and
Michael, who often use Barrier Breakers’ resources for activism, were major players in the
successful national advocacy to save the PASS, and in working for the passage of TWWIIA - the
Ticket to Work/Work Incentives Improvement Act.
But life is about change, and Michael wanted to change his by learning to make fine furniture.
There are two places in the country where fine furniture is happening - Central New York, and the
Carolinas. After looking at personal assistance services in both places, Michael and Barbara
bought a house and 4 acres on a hill above a small town in Central New York. They moved there in
March, 1999. Since metropolitan downtown Oriskany Falls was a limited market compared to
Minneapolis, Barrier Breakers went national, writing PASS’s using e-mail, and marketing its
products and services on the Internet.
Days after the millennium New Year, Barbara got pneumonia, and spent 65 days on a vent in
intensive care, followed by a lengthy recovery at home. Michael got the word out with the FAX and
the Internet, and many of you responded with not only moral support, but financial support. Thanks
to you, Barrier Breakers weathered yet another crisis.
We had high hopes for the new millennium. The election of Bush was a warning that the need for
advocacy and hard work was back. The New York SILC contracted with Barrier Breakers to be one
of 3 regional coordinators for its Statewide Systems Advocacy Network, that was to start in
October, 2001. But of course it didn’t start on time.
We were watching CCN, waiting for my PA, who was late, and saw the first plane hit the tower. We
felt panic for the trapped and dying people on the plane and in the building. . When the second
plane hit, we knew our country had been attacked, and none of our lives would ever be the same.
The efforts of the advocates and independent living centers in New York turned first to immediate
help for the Manhattan Center. With infrastructure destroyed, access and communication for
people with disabilities was a nightmare. There was a lot to do.
The statewide network got started in mid November, and given the rocky start, won major victories
coming out of the gate - getting extensive access language in state building regulations in January,
2002, and in early February, getting the Medicaid Buy-in through the legislature. Barrier Breakers
had the statewide network contract until Oct., 2005, when it was decided the network needed one
coordinator located in Albany. It was a wonderful four year ride.
Our emphasis now is on writing PASS’s, doing workshops, and producing our manuals and
posters. We have a Canon Image Runner copier and an electric hole driller, thanks to New York’s
VR agency, and produce the PASS Kit, the Ten Commandments poster, the Handicapped Van
poster, and VR manual in house, and send images on a disk to a printer for the other posters. We
are also helped in our work by the wonderful new van in picture above. After years of not leaving
home without a Chilton Manual and tool kit, my father wanted us to have a new van - one of his last
wishes when he died at th age of 93 in 2004.
We may be on an isolated (and beautiful) little hilltop in the Central NY boonies, but in cyberspace
and our spiritual being, we feel, and are, connected to all of you.
Please get in touch with us with any national action alerts, or ways we could add to and improve
our services and products.
