All kids deserve kindness, inclusion, and joy. That is the heart of WAWOS, short for “We’re All Working on Something”, a nonprofit born from a deeply personal journey. When Jacquie Robison’s daughter, Sofia, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she suddenly found herself navigating a world she hadn’t anticipated. Rather than believing her daughter should be defined by the diagnosis, Jacquie responded with creativity and compassion.
WAWOS began by providing free walkercapes, known as WAWOS Wear, to children with CP and related neuromuscular disabilities. These colorful capes bring visibility, pride, and joy to kids who use mobility aids. Through another initiative, WAWOS Wishes, the organization awards directed gifts to nonprofits across the USA that are delivering meaningful adventures and experiences for children with developmental delays, because every child deserves fun and inclusion.
Jacquie often reminds others that “Cerebral palsy is something my daughter has—it’s not who she is.” The work WAWOS is doing is helping change the conversation around disability and connecting families through shared experiences, empathy, and celebration.
We will be interviewing Jacquie to learn more about her mission, the beginnings of WAWOS, and how one unexpected turn in life led to a powerful movement for inclusion.
1. Jacquie, what was going through your mind when you first received Sofia’s diagnosis, and how did that moment spark the creation of WAWOS?
(smiling) “Well, hearing that my daughter has cerebral palsy was definitely not on my parenting roadmap. However, as I started to educate myself about this diagnosis, I learned that much of what I thought I knew about CP was wrong. It’s a broad diagnosis and impacts every child differently. It’s non-progressive, and that meant that this was Sofia’s floor, and no one could tell us where her ceiling would be. That’s really the most important insight I took from those early weeks after her diagnosis, when she was just 1 ½ years old. My responsibility as her mom hadn’t changed: encourage her to be her best self, inspire her to try new things, and believe in her so she grows in confidence surrounded by love.”
2. You made the first walkercape for Sofia yourself. Can you tell us the story behind that and how it grew into the global initiative it is today?
Sofia was prescribed a walker when she was almost 3 years old, and we often went out in the neighborhood so she could practice stepping on wide, flat surfaces. One day, she commented that people were staring and I said lightly “Do you see many kiddos with a walker? They’re probably just curious.” That satisfied her for a quick beat, and then she said, “But, when I look at them, they look away.” I smiled tightly and said, “Maybe they just don’t know what to say.” Her reply was “They could say hi.” And, that changed everything for me. I challenged myself with finding a way to motivate my daughter to practice her stepping and to encourage other people to look beyond the device and see my engaging, energetic and sweet girl.
I had the idea to create a walkercape that would connect easily to her walker with velcro, and that would share a little about her inside self and her interests. She had just started taking ballet at Tutu School, so I sewed an old leotard and tutu on the pattern I created, and it her response was magical. The next time we went out for a walk, at least a dozen people came up to talk to her, commented about her beautiful design, asked her if she liked ballet. When she replied that she had begun taking ballet, you could see that she was gently pushing them to reconsider what they thought was possible for a little girl in a walker.
I’m proud of Sofia’s character, the way she has grown in her joy, and how she advocates for herself and others. She shares her insights and experiences through engaging “Tuesday Tips” and “Weekly Wellness posts on our Instagram, offering a glimpse into her world and challenging the stereotypes that often surround CP. 3. What does inclusion mean to you, personally and through WAWOS? How do you bring that value to life in your work with children and families?
For me, inclusion means accessibility. It happens when we thoughtfully and deliberately create environments where everyone feels respected, valued and fully engaged. This consideration leads to a sense of belonging for everyone, and that results in truly celebrating the richness of human diversity. At WAWOS, we’re growing our Community Events programming; outings where we curate VIP experiences for kids with physical differences and their families at ballparks, airshows, and other outdoor events. Preparing for an adventure with neurotypical kids requires a lot of planning, and there are even more questions when you’re wondering if a space has ramps, accessible bathrooms with larger doorways and changing areas, etc. Our objective is to remove all the guesswork so parents and caregivers can simply show up with their kids and enjoy the experience.
3. March 25th is a significant date for you and WAWOS. What does that day represent, and how have you seen the community rally around it?
March 25th is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day, and while awareness is important, it’s just as imperative that we go beyond that. I talk about this in the context of a report card for Cerebral Palsy, with a goal of getting straight A’s: Awareness. Advocacy. Action.
AWARENESS: We need to acknowledge and understand that accessibility for all is not yet a reality, but that it’s a shared vision. When we agree that everyone deserves to be seen for their full self, we can move the needle significantly.
ADVOCACY: Disability inclusion means listening to adults and kids with disabilities when they talk about inequities they face, and believing them when they share how it feels. It means speaking up and standing up for people with physical differences and disabilities. This can start with identifying where there are gaps in access and being mindful that everyone wants agency over themselves.
ACTION: Take an active role in creating the change you want to see in your community, at events you attend, in your company’s marketing, and so forth. Normalizing physical disability through representation in the media is powerfully important.
This year, we printed a limited run of WAWOS branded t-shirts that we gave away to people who wanted to join our “Go Green” Awareness-building campaign. We were thrilled by the response and had hundreds of people wear their shirts, post to social media and tag our nonprofit. It was such a beautiful show of straight A’s!
4. With WAWOS Wishes, you help other nonprofits in the US provide kids with neuromuscular delaysmemorable experiences. How do you choose these adventures, and what impact have you seen them create?
It’s a simple truth that adventures help every child grow. My daughter has been skiing since she was 5 years old because there are organizations providing adaptive outdoor equipment and ski instructors for kids with CP and other physical diagnoses. There are so many nonprofits working hard to make recreational experiences a reality for kids who have disabilities, and lots of them are doing this work on a shoestring budget. We created WAWOS Wishes to support these nonprofits so more families can have greater access to experiences in art, dance, sports, and more. To-date, we’ve awarded over $240K to 80+ nonprofits across the United States, and we love receiving notes about the transformative impact this program.
Every year, beginning on Giving Tuesday, new grantees are announced, and they are nominated throughout the year by people from coast to coast. If you’re interested in nominating a registered 501(c)(3) in your community, email wishes@wawos.org
5. You talk about the idea that it shouldn't have to happen to someone for it to matter to them. Why is that message so important, and how can more people become true allies in the disability space?
I’m the first to admit that I give physical disability more thought than I ever did before Sofia’s diagnosis. I also recognize how much I’ve grown in support and love. In short, my empathy has deepened tremendously. Empathy is a muscle that needs to be strengthened because when we shift our lens a little, we grow in our understanding of others.
Many children - and their parents - report that they are uncomfortable around people with disabilities. Within our development as individuals, it’s natural that we start to observe the world around us and organize things and people into groups of ‘same’ and ‘different.’ I believe raising strong, confident and kind children means having them sit with feelings that are new and uncertain. Ask your neurotypical child to imagine that they needed to use a wheelchair to navigate the world. How would that make getting around more challenging? Have them do their tasks hopping on just one leg. Are they more tired? Is it more difficult to balance? I think it’s critical that we talk to our kids – and to other adults – about the beauty in uniqueness. Let your children know that having things in common with their friends is a great point of connection, but that the elements and interests that are unique to them are just as important. We need to ensure that we don’t land in a place where we think “like me = good” and “different than me = bad.” Never doubt that kindness is strength.