AIM In Action - Inclusion Makes the World More Vibrant
An Ability Inclusive Mindset (AIM) should be a vital component of society’s culture and diversity.
Someone with an AIM believes that:
Accessible spaces are better spaces
Inclusive activities are richer activities
All human lives have equal value.
These beliefs should trigger actions that will reflect these beliefs:
Intentional and creative planning
Risk-taking - going outside your comfort zone
Demonstrating empathy
At first glance, many people may assume that inclusivity refers to physical access. What comes to mind? Ramps into buildings, elevators, braille on the elevator buttons. Closed captioning on TV programs. So if that’s in place, we have an inclusive society, right? Well - it’s a beginning, but it is far from being a truly inclusive, welcoming community that celebrates diversity in all its forms. This post will start you on a journey toward a more explicit recognition of the many ways that a society can identify areas that require more wide-ranging implementation of inclusive practices.
Take a moment to view this video entitled Inclusion Makes the World More Vibrant. As you watch the video, reflect on these guiding questions:
(1) Did anything surprise you as you watched the video?
(2) What examples of AIM did you notice in the video?
(3) Did this video cause you to rethink your understanding of diversity and inclusion?
Many people may assume that someone with a vision impairment would have no interest in going to an art museum. If that belief were to hold true, then there would be no need to accommodate the needs of people with vision impairments in these types of very visual settings. This video points to the inaccuracy of that belief. Notice how much richer the experience was for the child and his mother, as well as for other patrons who were drawn into the child’s vivid explanation of the artwork on display. Now, reflect on how inclusive an art museum could be, and how many people could benefit from the type of experience shown in this video. It was not only the mom in the video who benefitted from her son's explanation, now was it?
These types of accommodations for many different groups of people with diverse needs (vision, hearing, physical, emotional, intellectual, etc.) truly make our society less exclusionary and more accessible and engaging to all. Breaking down the barriers that prevent any members of a society from full participation needs to be intentional. Planning for inclusive activities and environments using the concepts of Universal Design on the front end, rather than trying to add accommodations after the fact, will result in a more diverse, inclusive experience for everyone.
Think about other activities you enjoy in your own community. Can you identify areas that could be made richer through intentional behaviors that are inclusive and diverse? Take steps to ensure that your community is truly a community! Send your ideas and progress to Janie at janie@thenoraproject.ngo, or post to social media and tag The Nora Project. We can’t wait to see your AIM in Action!