Upon attending the AAPD program, I had little to no expectations about the people I would meet. All I knew was that the cohort would be filled with students of all ages with disabilities; whether or not we would get along was a mystery. And to my pleasant surprise, I have loved my time getting to know this diverse group of individuals! Whether it has been at orientation, networking events or in South Hall, I have had the honor of learning from my fellow interns. I am so thankful to be in this group, as we have been able to laugh, debate and contemplate together. Specifically the connections in my apartment have been well beyond my hopes. In fact, we now have a weekly Sunday evening dinner that is entitled “Family Dinner”. The opportunity for students with disabilities to come together and form “Family Dinners” is rare; especially as we all have different backgrounds, identities, and connections to disability.
Sitting around a table with these incredible people, discussing, learning and challenging, is a chance for new pockets of the movement to develop. As we were taught this past Saturday, connections made through personal and group agency were the catalysts for the disability community’s push for representation of FDR in his wheelchair at the FDR memorial.
I may seem like a dreamer, but I belief that through connections I form at “Family Dinner” and with the rest of the AAPD interns, we can transform our discussions into ideas and our ideas into actions. Before we know it, maybe we can spark all sorts of change, just as the disability rights community sparked for FDR.
Sitting around a table with these incredible people, discussing, learning and challenging, is a chance for new pockets of the movement to develop. As we were taught this past Saturday, connections made through personal and group agency were the catalysts for the disability community’s push for representation of FDR in his wheelchair at the FDR memorial.
I may seem like a dreamer, but I belief that through connections I form at “Family Dinner” and with the rest of the AAPD interns, we can transform our discussions into ideas and our ideas into actions. Before we know it, maybe we can spark all sorts of change, just as the disability rights community sparked for FDR.
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