Why you might want to visit this inclusive amusement park on your next vacation.

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I can still remember my first trip to an amusement park as a child.

I remember the anticipation and excitement that came from choosing my favorite horse on the carousel, my mother lifting me up and placing me in the saddle, and instantly being transported into a world of wonder and amusement.

Unfortunately, amusement parks aren't always accessible to all people. There are countless children and adults with disabilities or special needs who would seemingly never be able to experience a theme park like I could.

But that’s changing.

Life is a carousel. I'm gonna ride it. All images via Morgan's Wonderland, used with permission.

An amusement park in Texas has created a world where everyone can make those memories.

Reeling in a big catch in the fully stocked catch-and-release pond.

Morgan's Wonderland is a one-of-a-kind theme park where every attraction is specially designed for "100% inclusion" of those with disabilities.

Music to my ears.

The San Antonio-based park has a long list of unique rides and experiences, including carousels made for people in wheelchairs, off-road jeeps with built-in ramps and compartments to allow full wheelchair access, a fully stocked fishing pond with minders to help anyone reel in that big catch, wheelchair swing sets, and roughly 20 other rides and attractions, all created to serve people with a range of special needs.

A journey of the senses.

The Sensory Village entertains the senses of those with cognitive challenges through interactive videos and a news station that lets you conduct a weather forecast and see yourself on TV. Want to try galloping? Mechanical horses replicate the experience of riding for people who might not otherwise be able to.

Ready to hit the open road in a car simulator.

Opened in 2010 by philanthropist Gordon Hartman, who was previously a prominent real estate developer, Morgan’s Wonderland has provided fun and laughter to 65,000 children and adults from over 60 countries and all 50 states.

They’ve done so completely free of charge to those with disabilities or special needs, too. As a nonprofit, they are fueled by donations.

The motivation for the park came from Gordon Hartman’s own family life.

The namesake and inspiration for the park is Morgan Hartman, the 21-year-old daughter of Gordon and Maggie Hartman, who is cognitively challenged and also has some physical special needs.

Morgan and Gordon Hartman.

Gordon recalls watching his daughter at the pool, attempting to play with other children on a vacation. He noticed that the other children were unsure of how to interact with Morgan and subsequently didn’t include her. The kids weren’t being mean, according to Hartman. “They didn’t know how to play with or understand her,” he told Upworthy.

Knowing that there were millions of people just like Morgan, he envisioned a park where the culture was in line with their needs and specially designed to ensure inclusion. Then he built it.

Gordon Hartman with daughter Morgan Hartman and Wonderland mascot Joy.

Fast-forward five years, and they are now expanding the idea even further.

In November, the park announced it would break ground on what they call the world’s first “ultra inclusion” waterpark.

It will feature unique wheelchair access and have special considerations for those who are hearing or visually impaired.

Water. Always a good time.

Morgan’s Wonderland is helping create a culture of acceptance.

The hope is that the idea of inclusion will continue outside the walls of the park and into society. Here, kids and adults of all abilities play together every day while increasing their awareness and understanding of one another. Gordon made it very clear that this is a park for everybody and not just those with special needs.

Morgan's Wonderland is important not only because it overcame countless design challenges to provide fun for everyone but also because it’s trying to inspire an ethos, a way of being, a culture of acceptance and inclusion in our society as a whole.

And let’s not forget this part: It’s a lot of fun.

Ocean Wise

Be Ocean Wise

Planet

Easy (and free!) ways to save the ocean

The ocean is the heart of our planet. It needs our help to be healthy.

Ocean Wise

Volunteers at a local shoreline cleanup

True

The ocean covers over 71% of the Earth’s surface and serves as our planet’s heart. Ocean currents circulate vital heat, moisture, and nutrients around the globe to influence and regulate our climate, similar to the human circulatory system. Cool, right?

Our ocean systems provide us with everything from fresh oxygen to fresh food. We need it to survive and thrive—and when the ocean struggles to function healthfully, the whole world is affected.

Pollution, overfishing, and climate change are the three biggest challenges preventing the ocean from doing its job, and it needs our help now more than ever. Humans created the problem; now humans are responsible for solving it.

#BeOceanWise is a global rallying cry to do what you can for the ocean, because we need the ocean and the ocean needs us. If you’re wondering how—or if—you can make a difference, the answer is a resounding YES. There are a myriad of ways you can help, even if you don’t live near a body of water. For example, you can focus on reducing the amount of plastic you purchase for yourself or your family.

Another easy way to help clean up our oceans is to be aware of what’s known as the “dirty dozen.” Every year, scientists release an updated list of the most-found litter scattered along shorelines. The biggest culprit? Single-use beverage and food items such as foam cups, straws, bottle caps, and cigarette butts. If you can’t cut single-use plastic out of your life completely, we understand. Just make sure to correctly recycle plastic when you are finished using it. A staggering 3 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans annually. Imagine the difference we could make if everyone recycled!

The 2022 "Dirty Dozen" ListOcean Wise

If you live near a shoreline, help clean it up! Organize or join an effort to take action and make a positive impact in your community alongside your friends, family, or colleagues. You can also tag @oceanwise on social if you spot a beach that needs some love. The location will be added to Ocean Wise’s system so you can submit data on the litter found during future Shoreline Cleanups. This data helps Ocean Wise work with businesses and governments to stop plastic pollution at its source. In Canada, Ocean Wise data helped inform a federal ban on unnecessary single-use plastics. Small but important actions like these greatly help reduce the litter that ends up in our ocean.

Ocean Wise, a conservation organization on a mission to restore and protect our oceans, is focused on empowering and educating everyone from individuals to governments on how to protect our waters. They are making conservation happen through five big initiatives: monitoring and protecting whales, fighting climate change and restoring biodiversity, innovating for a plastic-free ocean, protecting and restoring fish stocks, and finally, educating and empowering youth. The non-profit believes that in order to rebuild a resilient and vibrant ocean within the next ten years, everyone needs to take action.

Become an Ocean Wise ally and share your knowledge with others. The more people who know how badly the ocean needs our help, the better! Now is a great time to commit to being a part of something bigger and get our oceans healthy again.

Prudential

Meet the 18-year-old advocating for teen mental health, one inspiring podcast at a time

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

See on Instagram

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.

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Why you might want to visit this inclusive amusement park on your next vacation.

I can still remember my first trip to an amusement park as a child.

An amusement park in Texas has created a world where everyone can make those memories.

Morgan's Wonderland is a one-of-a-kind theme park where every attraction is specially designed for "100% inclusion" of those with disabilities.

The motivation for the park came from Gordon Hartman’s own family life.

Morgan’s Wonderland is helping create a culture of acceptance.

The ocean is the heart of our planet. It needs our help to be healthy.

The look on her face when she sees the manual window.

The slower tempo and simple instrumentation creates a sadder, more haunting version of the 80s monster hit.

"Our moral compass is skewed if we think things like this are acceptable."

These are called "anti-homeless spikes." They're about as friendly as they sound.

The spikes are a prime example of how cities design spaces to keep homeless people away.

One particular set of spikes was outside a former night club in London. And a local group got sick of staring at them.

These spikes may be in London, but the U.S. definitely has its fair share of anti-homeless sentiment, too.

Thankfully, groups like "Space, Not Spikes" are out there changing hearts and minds. But they need our help.

Check out their video below:

"I am your father!"

Dads are ridiculous. But perhaps, in the world today, there is no dad quite so ridiculous as Rob Lopez:

After suiting up...

...and receiving the mission critical sign-off from his wife.

He grabbed his lightsaber and gave it a go. The results ... pretty much speak for themselves (fast-forward to 1:05 for the main event).

There are a couple of things about Lopez's son's reaction that we should talk about.

From tackling maternal mortality in Cameroon to fighting food insecurity in the U.S., these "Goalkeepers" are making their mark on global development goals.

2023 Changemaker Award: Ashu Martha Agbornyenty

2023 Progress Award: Eden Tadesse

2023 Campaign Award: The Farmlink Project

His cat even has a carrying pouch so she can go on errands.