Pat Kahn Bio

Pat Kahn has been serving the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta as Director of Religious Education since June 1999 and prior to that served the Northwest UU Congregation for three and a half years.      She is passionate about extending "radical hospitality" to all.  This journey began in the summer of 1999 when a little boy named AJ Peterson Martin arrived for a summer Sunday School class in his wheelchair.  Pat began looking for resources on inclusion from other congregations and faith traditions, which led her to the Interfaith Disabilities Network, with whom she has been involved ever since.

Pat was a member of her congregation's Accessibility Task force involved with renovations of the building.  She incorporated children's religious education classes into the process by having them experience what it's like to navigate through Sunday morning programs in a wheelchair.  The children developed a list of suggested improvements and presented these to the Board of Trustees, which included an accessible drinking fountain and an accessible playground (we now have both).

The accessible playground was an Eagle Scout project and was dedicated in December 2005 with the inscription "in memory of AJ Peterson Martin, beloved teacher and friend".

Pat works with volunteers and/or paid providers to act as "Special Friends" or classroom facilitators for children with special needs.

Pat has completed the "Involve" training, based on the book by Sally Patton "Wlecoming Children with Special Needs, A Guidebook for Faith Communities".