SALT & SKY
Make Inclusion Visible.™
Disability is common. Disconnection is systemic. Inclusion is the bridge to work and community participation.
Why inclusion matters
Families who have navigated the special education system know inclusion. They've fought for it in every IEP and in every classroom. For most, it ends at graduation.
About 1 in 8 working-age residents in the Brazosport region lives with a disability—more than 5,200 people. Of those, over 2,200 are not currently participating in the labor force (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2019–2023 Five-Year Estimates).
That's not an individual failure. It's a design problem — transportation, schedules, supports, and employer pathways that don't line up with real lives. Salt & Sky exists to help communities build practical, local solutions.
What local employers are telling us
Inclusion starts with a conversation.
Many employers have never been shown what inclusion could look like in real workplaces. These are the kinds of things we hear.
- "I didn't realize how many people in our community were being overlooked."
- "I run a small business, and I just never thought about what it could look like to include people with disabilities on my team."
- "I'm open to it. I guess I just never considered that to be an option."
That's a problem. We're building solutions.
Who we are
Rooted in Brazoria County, building for the Gulf Coast.
Salt & Sky is a nonprofit initiative in Brazoria County bringing disability inclusion, meaningful work, and coastal stewardship together — so residents, educators, and local partners can build solutions that center access, belonging, and environmental responsibility in daily life.
Together we will make inclusion visible — in work, community life, and how we care for our coastal home.
Our north star
Mission, Vision & Values
These statements keep us centered on Brazoria County while pointing toward the Gulf Coast we're working to build together.
Why we exist
Salt & Sky partners with Brazoria County residents, educators, and employers to build disability-inclusive pathways into meaningful work, learning, and coastal stewardship in everyday community life.
- Closing the gap between graduation and a "just right" community fit.
- Designing supports that make participation possible in real places and routines.
- Connecting inclusion work with long-term care for the coastline we share.
Where we're headed
A Gulf Coast where disabled people and their families can live, learn, work, and belong in communities that honor their contributions and care for the shoreline that sustains us.
We imagine a Brazoria County where disability inclusion, meaningful work, and coastal health are not add-ons, but woven into how communities plan, invest, and show up for one another.
How we show up
We carry five values into every partnership and conversation:
Dignity
People deserve to be seen, valued, and supported to live well.
Belonging
Communities thrive when everyone can take part and feel connected.
Local leadership
The best solutions begin with the people who live and work here.
Daily-life access
We shape environments and routines so participation is possible for everyone.
Coastal stewardship
People, health, opportunity, and the coastline are inseparable — and we care for them together.
How we work
From ideas to action, rooted in place.
We bring people and place together to show that inclusion and sustainability can — and should — strengthen everyday community life. By pairing accessibility with environmental care, we co-design programs that communities can measure, adapt, and grow into lasting outcomes for Brazoria County.
Our process is collaborative: listen with intention, map what's already working, co-create alongside residents and partners, and build models that can travel to other Gulf Coast communities.
Core commitments
What Guides Our Work
Three commitments shape every partnership and program we build in Brazoria County:
Access by design
We start with access and build for dignity, participation, and meaningful contribution in every part of community life.
Community first
We co-create with residents, businesses, schools, and advocates so solutions reflect real places, priorities, and everyday realities. Lived experience leads.
Care for the coastline
We strengthen coastal health by reshaping long-term outcomes. Environmental responsibility is inseparable from health, jobs, belonging, and a fulfilling life in Brazoria County.
Leadership
Meet the Founders
Patrina Hayes
An occupational therapist with 15+ years in rehabilitation and education, Patrina founded Salt & Sky to close the gap between graduation and a just-right community fit — linking accessibility, opportunity, and environmental care.
Everyone deserves a just-right community fit — a place where access, belonging, and opportunity are built into everyday life.
Micah Hayes
A grassroots environmental and civic organizer in Brazoria County, Micah works to make sustainability more inclusive — bringing purpose, connection, and momentum to a future where accessibility and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.
When communities honor everyone's needs, hopes, and desires, we grow stronger together.
Together, they're building the foundation — with partners across Brazoria County.