"FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS BEFORE I WON THE TINY DESK CONTEST I WAS A TEACHER.

SO I STARTED TEACHING FIDDLE LESSONS.

I KIND OF MADE A COMMITMENT RIGHT WHEN I STARTED TEACHING THAT I WAS NEVER GONNA TELL ANYONE THAT THEY SHOULD NOT PLAY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S THE TEACHERS JOB TO DISCOURAGE OR PUT UP A BARRIER TO MUSIC.

I THINK IT'S THE TEACHERS JOB TO JUST BE SUPPORTIVE AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO EXPLORE.

IF YOU WANNA TRY TO DO MUSIC OR ANY KIND OF ART THAT YOU SHOULD DO IT EVEN IF ITS NOT SUPER OBVIOUS BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE CAN BE REALLY CREATIVE AND FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WORKS FOR THEM AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLAY OR EVEN SOUND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE MUSIC IS ABOUT MAKING YOURSELF HAPPY AND ALSO CONNECTING TO OTHER PEOPLE THROUGH THIS AWESOE MEDIUM.

THE TINY DESK CONTEST IS REALLY WHAT SPARKED ME WITH AVENUE OF JUST TOURING AND PLAYING ALL THE TIME.

I HAD BEEN PLAYING A LOT IN MINNESOTA BEFORE I WON THE TINY DESK CONTEST AND YOU KNOW I HADNT REALLY GIVEN IT MUCH THOUGHT AT THAT TIME I GUESS ABOUT ASSESSIBILTY.

AND WHEN WE STARTED TRAVELLING I REALIZED THAT ONLY ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE PLACES WE PLAYED HAD RAMPS.

SO IF I WAS A LITTLE KID WITH A DISABILITY GOING TO SHOWS AND I SAW SOMEONE WITH A WHEELCHAIR HAVING TO BE LIFTED ON STAGE IT JUST DOESN'T SEND A SUPER POSITIVE MESSAGE THAT WE WANT YOU TO BE HERE AND WANT YOU TO PERFORM HERE.

SO I STARTED THINKING ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANT AND REALIZING IN ORDER TO HAVE REAL ACCESSABILITY IN THE ARTS WE REALLY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SPACES FOR PERFORMERS ARE ALSO ACCESSIBLE WE HAVE A LOT OF WAYS TO GO BEFORE THAT IS ACTUALIZED BUT I AM HOPING TO TALK ABOUT IT ENOUGH WHERE WE CAN REALLY MAKE SOME CHANGES.

EVEN IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH YOU AND YOU CAN STILL JUST BE YOURSELF AND EVENTUALLY YOU WILL FIND THE PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP SUPPORT YOU I REALLY DO THINK ITS BETTER TO NOT TRY TO SUPPRESS WHO WE ARE.

WE WILL ENJOY LIFE MORE IF YOU JUST ARE WHO YOU ARE AND ARE YOU'RE PROUD OF THAT."