One of the first steps in the presentation is simply to define what it means to be disabled, which goes well beyond sensory and mobility impairments to include cognitive issues, spectrum disorders and other “invisible” disabilities. “We hope to end the idea that, ‘if I don’t see it, it doesn’t exist,’” says Star Cuellar, a PESA social work intern and one of the presenters of the program. In fact, according to a United Nations study, when we consider the full range of disabilities, nearly 50% of the world’s elderly population experience some form of disability. “We want to motivate students to advocate and have empathy and understanding for those with disabilities,” says Cuellar, “to know that just because it doesn’t affect you today, it may well affect you down the road.”
Perhaps the most moving and compelling element of the presentation is a video clip of a Ted Talk given by disability-rights advocate Judith Huemann. Stricken by polio at the age of 18 months and wheelchair bound for most of her life, Huemann puts a very relatable face to the daily hurdles faced by the disabled. Given how profoundly this affected her early education, it’s a story that any young student can appreciate.
“I did not know the full scale of how little accommodations we have for the disabled,” wrote one Leadership Academy student after experiencing the PESA presentation. “They have to fight against discrimination every day,” wrote another.
With awareness being the overarching goal of the educational program, one student’s takeaway speaks to its effectiveness: “I learned to better be aware of others, and to not judge people’s disability status based on how they look.” ■
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