Event Description: The Collab is coming to Joliet! Collab Co-Chair Zhen Heinemann and Steering Committee Members Mikaela McParlan and Daria Smith will present on Disability and Accessibility and the broad array of abilities that can be addressed to create more accessible experiences in our institutions. All museum, performing arts, live collection, and cultural agencies in the Joliet area are invited for networking, quick access wins, and statewide engagement with the goal of increasing accessibility in cultural spaces and events across Illinois!
Date: November 13th, 2026
Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm CT
Location: Joliet Junior College, 1215 Houbolt Avenue, Joliet, IL 60431
U-Building Rooms U-1022, U-1024, U-1026
From downtown Joliet, take Jefferson Street to Houbolt take a left on Houbolt continue a few miles and JJC is on the right hand side of the Street. Enter the “U” Building and the room is down the hall on the right hand side.
Program Accessibility: Real-time Captioning will be provided. Pamphlets will be provided in both English and Spanish. Please complete the accommodation request field found in the event registration form or call (312) 788-8705 to request other access services.
Cost: FREE. While this program is free, a $5 suggested donation helps to cover programming costs to ensure Cultural Access Collaborative’s mission is achievable and accessible to all. You may make a tax deductible online donation to the Collab at any time.
Registration: Join us by completing this event registration form! In case of technical difficulties, please email info@CulturalAccessCollab.org for assistance.
Zhen Heinemann (they/them) – Steering Committee Co-Chair
Zhen (/ʒ/ – en) is an audience-focused arts and immersive experience engineer whose work centers on creating more accessible, inclusive and inviting spaces and engagements for communities and individuals. Currently they are the Director of Visitor Experience & Public Engagement with the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, creating and managing engagement spaces in the Chicago Cultural Center, consulting on guest-facing items in Millennium Park and at Taste of Chicago and created an Accessibility Plan for adding access initiatives across all divisions of DCASE. They have over 15 years experience in public programming development, community engagement, production management and design. They hold a CPACC (Certificated Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies) Certification from IAPP (International Association of Accessibility Professionals) and are a member of the Disability Lead Network.
Zhen joined the Steering Committee in 2021, becoming a Co-Chair in 2025.
Mikaela McParlan (she/her) – Steering Committee Member
Mikaela is a filmmaker, film festival organizer, and accessibility advocate based in Chicago. Originally from Minnesota, she moved to Chicago to attend film school at Columbia College Chicago. Mikaela is deeply invested in the growth of the Midwest film industry, educating filmmakers on how to make their work more accessible, and creating more opportunities for disabled artists. Drawing on her background in film production, Mikaela served as the Operations Manager for the Chicago International Film Festival for four years, where she led the development of the organization’s accessibility practices and helped establish its Accessibility Advisory Committee. She now works as a freelance filmmaker, accessibility coordinator, and event planner.
Mikaela joined the Steering Committee in 2025.
Daria Smith (she/her) – Steering Committee Member
Daria is the Exhibitions Project Coordinator at the Obama Foundation and coordinates a variety of projects with a focus on graphics, art management and fabrication for the upcoming Obama Presidential Center on the South Side of Chicago. Within her current role at the Foundation, she has led working groups, councils, and other efforts dedicated to accessibility. Daria has always cared for the arts, cultural heritage, and representation with inclusive design and accessibility in mind, because she recognizes how exclusionary the world is. She continues to learn and build her skill set to be an ally, advocate and asset for inclusive design and accessibility within cultural institutions. In her spare time, Daria is an avid museum-goer and aspiring fashionista who enjoys hosting game nights, cooking, reading and crafting.
Daria joined the Steering Committee in 2025.
Cultural Access Collaborative is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by ART Grant, an initiative of the Field Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Michael & Mona Heath Fund, and individual donors like you.