At WAWOS, we believe some of the most meaningful change begins with listening—making space for different perspectives, lived experiences and ideas about what true inclusion can look like.
This summer, we welcomed Kerri Licari to the WAWOS team as a summer intern. Throughout her time with us, Kerri brought curiosity, thoughtfulness and a genuine commitment to our mission of changing the way kids and teens with physical differences are seen and celebrated. Read on to learn more.
[contributed by Kerri Licari]
This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern with WAWOS (We’re All Working On Something), and the experience gave me a perspective I’ll carry with me well beyond college. I’m now in my senior year at Chapman University, a member of KAO sorority, and have a 
passion for event management, marketing, and brand partnerships. I’ve been reflecting on what made the internship so meaningful. I was able to contribute to campaigns, connect with community partners, and see firsthand how storytelling, fundraising and relationship-building can help advance a mission centered on disability inclusion.
One of the highlights of my summer was working on Strikeouts for CP, a season-long campaign anchored by Red Sox Pitching Coach, Andrew Bailey, that uses the excitement of baseball to raise awareness and funds for kids with cerebral palsy and other physical disabilities. I helped support outreach around the campaign and got to see how WAWOS brings together families, athletes, partners, and supporters around a shared mission. What I loved most about the campaign was that it wasn’t solely focused on raising money, but also on building awareness and visibility. By connecting something as familiar as a baseball strikeout to a larger conversation about cerebral palsy and inclusion, Strikeouts for CP was able to reach people who may not have known about the mission before. It showed me how a creative idea can introduce new audiences to an important issue and give them a way to get involved.
I also spent part of my internship supporting sponsorship outreach for WAWOS’ upcoming Rock N Bowl fundraiser at Lucky Strike in San Francisco. Reaching out to potential sponsors gave me valuable experience in communicating why a company or individual should want to be part of WAWOS’ work. I learned how important it is to understand and form a relationship with a prospective partner, as well as create an authentic connection between their values and WAWOS’ mission. It also gave me a much greater appreciation for everything that happens behind the scenes -- and the incredible lead time to takes -- to turn an idea for a fundraiser into an event that can help sustain and grow a nonprofit’s programs.
What made my time with WAWOS especially impactful was seeing how all of these efforts connect back to the same goal: creating a world where kids and teens with physical disabilities feel included, celebrated and empowered. WAWOS provides children with personalized walkercapes, partners with MLB teams (shout out to 2026 partners SF Giants, SD Padres, AZ Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, and KS Royals) , brings conversations about disability inclusion into schools, and builds partnerships through campaigns like their free t-shirt/CP Awareness Day in March.
This organization approaches its work with creativity and a strong sense of community, which taught me that positive change can take many different forms. Before joining WAWOS, I had limited knowledge about physical disabilities and the challenges that individuals and families may face. Being part of this organization allowed me to learn more, become involved in the mission, and understand the importance of awareness and representation, especially for issues that people may overlook when they do not personally affect them.
I’m incredibly grateful that WAWOS trusted me with important responsibilities and allowed me to contribute throughout the summer and fall. This internship strengthened my skills in sponsorship communications, outreach and nonprofit development, but more importantly, it changed the way I think about inclusion and the role each of us can play in supporting it. As I head into my final year at Chapman, I’m taking with me a lesson that feels especially fitting for an organization with an acronym that stands for We’re All Working On Something: lasting change is rarely the result of one person or one big moment. It happens when people come together, contribute what they can, and keep working toward something better.
