Andrea Castro is a mother, an advocate, and the kind of person who sees a gap in the world and quietly gets to work filling it. As the founder of Forever Kind, Andrea has turned a deeply personal mission — ensuring her daughter Ariyana could communicate, connect, and belong in public spaces — into a province-wide movement for inclusive design. By developing practical communication boards that blend visual supports, sign language cues, and emotional regulation tools, Andrea has helped transform parks, playgrounds, schools, and community centres across British Columbia into spaces where children of all abilities feel seen and valued. We spoke with Philip Kendrick, Executive Assistant at SPARC BC, to learn more about what they do.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Through Forever Kind, Andrea collaborates with speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, educators, municipalities, community partners and the Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPRARC BC) to advance inclusive design. She also serves on the Township of Langley Parks & Design Committee and the City of Langley Accessibility & Inclusion Committee, contributing to local planning and policy while supporting communities in building accessible, inclusive social infrastructure.”
What problem does it aim to solve?
Andrea Castro is the founder of Forever Kind, an initiative dedicated to creating inclusive public environments where every child is recognized, understood, and valued. Through her work, she develops practical, community-based solutions that support children of all abilities in communicating, connecting, and participating in shared spaces.
When did you start/join it?
Andrea’s work began with a simple goal: to create environments where her daughter, Ariyana, could engage and belong. In public spaces, Andrea observed that children were eager to connect but often lacked shared communication tools. In response, she designed Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) boards integrating AAC-friendly visuals, sign-supported language, literacy cues, and emotional regulation supports. What began as a single prototype has grown into a province-wide initiative, with tools now installed in parks, playgrounds, schools, recreation centres, and community hubs across British Columbia.
What made you want to get involved?
Andrea sent in an email to SPARC BC asking could we help her find grants to keep her work going. I was moved by her story and wanted to champion Andrea as much as SPARC BC can, as her mission statement aligns with SPARC BC’s. At SPARC BC, we believe “Accessibility is Inclusion,” and Andrea and Ariyana are the embodiment of that.
What was the situation like when you started?
Andrea noticed that Ariyana was having trouble in school, making friends and navigating the school building. Andrea and Ariyana’s principle have worked together to make the school a more inclusive place for all kids.
“Andrea is a phenomenal advocate for equity within our schools. Together, we have partnered on multiple initiatives to raise awareness of autism, Down syndrome, and other neurodiverse conditions. In each case, Andrea has brought both deep understanding and practical leadership—helping teachers, students, and parents access accurate information, adopt inclusive practices, and approach differences with empathy and respect. Her work to ensure that children can communicate effectively—through accessible tools, strategies, and patient coaching—is not only noble, but also transformative for the young people and families she supports. At Katzie, we deeply believe in inclusion, and all students must see themselves represented in the way we see and celebrate kids.” John Horstead – Principle of Katzie Elementary, Surrey, BC.
How has it changed since?
Andrea has worked with the principle to make the school and playground more inclusive, and now Ariyana loves going to school and has made lots of friends.
What more needs to be done?
Andrea and Ariyana are tirelessly working to make Canada a more inclusive place for kids of all abilities. Starting with British Columbia, but with the hopes of bringing Communication Boards to all schools and playgrounds in Canada.
How can our readers help?
Readers can contact their MLA to ask if their local schools and playgrounds are accessible to all children.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
Forever Kind is obviously close to my heart, as I have a nephew who is autistic. I also like to champion MakersMakingChange.com and their school program, Build4Better. They provide assistive devices for the cost of the 3D printer material. Build4Better are 2 High schoolers who started customizing the items for clients, and MakersMakingChange are the ones who produce the products on 3D printers.
