KultureCity Founder Dr. Julian Maha Shares How Accessibility Unlocks Possibility

RCB President Jeff Stone with Past President Sanjay Singh and Dr. Julian Maha

This week, the Rotary Club of Birmingham (RCB) welcomed Dr. Julian Maha, founder of KultureCity, a Birmingham-based nonprofit that has become a global movement for accessibility and inclusion.

Dr. Maha shared his family’s journey navigating his son’s autism diagnosis and how it inspired the creation of KultureCity. What began as one family’s mission to make community spaces more welcoming has expanded to more than 6,000 locations across 39 countries—from schools and zoos to museums and arenas.

Dr. Maha emphasized that accessibility goes far beyond physical spaces. Through stories of children, veterans, and families impacted by invisible disabilities, he illustrated how access restores dignity and belonging. He also previeweed KultureCity’s next major project: transforming Birmingham’s historic Powell Avenue steam plant into a national center for accessibility, innovation, and inclusion, complete with job training programs, sensory spaces, and community resources.

“Accessibility unlocks possibility,” Dr. Maha said. “When we build with accessibility in mind, doors open—not just for individuals, but for entire communities.”

Bio for Dr. Julian Maha

Accessibility today goes beyond ramps or regulations—it’s what allows all of us to fully participate, whether at a concert, in the workplace, at the doctor’s office, or in daily life. Dr. Julian Maha, emergency physician and co-founder of KultureCity®, helps communities and organizations understand how sensory accessibility can transform experiences across every setting. Under his leadership, KultureCity has equipped thousands of venues and companies with training, tools, and resources—earning recognition on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list. His two TEDx talks, with more than 2.3 million views, give audiences practical strategies to create spaces where everyone belongs.