Disability Awareness - It Takes a Village
Disability awareness must extend beyond neighborhoods and schools. While those arenas represent a vital first step, larger communities must be involved if there is to be significant change in the perception of disability. Awareness can lead to transformation in the culture and an end to the ableist system that values people based on their worth to society. Recent advances toward this awareness have occurred via major organizations and national companies.
For example, do you remember the viral sensation that occurred after the debut of Target’s inclusive ad featuring a child in a wheelchair? Imagine growing up without ever seeing anyone like you represented in ads, on TV, etc.! Shouldn’t this representation be the norm rather than the exception? A literature award, the Schneider Family Book Awards, honors books targeting children that portray the disability experience. Reading books with your children can be a great jumping off point for discussions about disability. The representation of disability in the media (TV shows for example) is growing, although still far from what should be seen. Normalizing the experiences of individuals with disabilities can occur when the character with a disability is seen as just one of several main characters on a show with their own talents and contributions, rather than highlighting the character’s disability and making it the main focus of the show. Take, for example, the recent Hallmark Christmas Movie “Christmas Ever After.”
As community awareness of disability has grown, many companies are creating niche markets after identifying some of the unique needs of individuals with disabilities and developing products and programs to address those needs. For example, companies such as Zappos, Target, Kohls, and Billy Footwear have developed lines of shoes and clothing that are fashionable, cost-effective, and well suited for individuals with fine motor challenges or sensory needs.
You may be thinking, companies have lots of money and can afford to offer these types of accommodations. What can individuals possibly do? Are there unique needs that haven't been noticed or addressed by these companies? You can make a difference as an individual!
Rena Rosen, Inclusion Coordinator for JCC Chicago and preschool educator stumbled upon a post on her facebook page one day. A parent had shared that her child longed for a pair of gloves that fit her unique hands just like the gloves her sister wore. The post had asked if anyone knew how to knit or knew someone who did. All it took was one share of the original post and the response took off! More parents reached out with requests to meet the needs of their child’s unique hand structure. Rena offered to connect parents with crafters and Knit for a unique fit! was born.
Young girl with long blonde hair sits cross legged on the floor. She is wearing a light green knit hat and light green knit gloves.
Dark black outlined hands on paper with centimeter measurements on each finger.
Of the nearly fifty people actively searching for a unique pair of gloves, and over 900 members of the group, at least half of those requests have been met all over the world from the US to Canada to Germany. In fact new needs have surfaced as well. Children born with Microcephaly are now receiving hats to fit their unique head structure. After only four months up and running, there is no stopping this incredibly motivated group.
More than connecting people or making a hat, the group has become a voice against ableism. Going to a store and trying to find something that fits your needs, something as simple as a pair of gloves that fit, shouldn’t be a challenge. Every person has value and should be treated with equity and respect. One of the ways that our society can defeat ableism is recognizing that all people deserve access to what meets their needs, and then providing that access. The groups and organizations mentioned here are just a tip of the iceberg. So...what can you do to advance disability awareness? TNP would love to hear your ideas in the comments.