Something to Point To
Angela
Denise Davis
I
first encountered a recording of the Broadway musical, Working, when I was an
early teen whose only desire was to be cloistered in my local, public library.
Working was an adaptation of Studs Terkel’s book by the same name, and was a
musical exploration of how some Americans viewed their jobs. I have never
forgotten some of these songs, and recently added the digital recording to my
iTunes library. The songs included stories of a young boy who had a newspaper
route, a woman who cleaned office buildings at night, and a housewife who
managed her home. I have been thinking a lot about Terkel’s book and how it
would be different if it were based on the working lives of persons with
disabilities.
The
unemployment rate for persons with disabilities is over 70 %. Work is such an
essential aspect of human life. For those individuals who do work, it may be
easy to take for granted the feeling of putting in a long day of work, or the
feeling of, as they sing in the musical, “having something to point to.”
Last
week, the interns attended a reception given by Wal-Mart. An employee from the
company asked us to talk about one highlight we experienced this summer. I
thought about it for a minute. The summer has had many highlights. It has been
a great pleasure to work with Ginny Thornburgh on the “Statement of Solidarity.”
I have enjoyed meeting various business people and government officials. I have
enjoyed being able to make some opportunities for myself such as attending a
conference on theology and disability in Chicago, and spending a couple of days
at the 2012 International AIDS Society Conference. There were so many other bright
lights during the past ten weeks, but I hope to never forget one moment I
experience during my internship.
During
one sweltering, triple digit degree evening. I left the office, and started my
way back to the dorms. I was heading west, and it was impossible to hide from
the sunlight. In a circus of pedestrians and cars, I navigated my way through
the rush hour traffic. At the corner of H Street and 21st Avenue I
was struck with a visceral acknowledgement. I had not felt this way in years.
It was not the heat, or the membrane of sweat that covered my body. It was the
recognition that I had completed a hard day of work at the office. I had brainstormed
with colleagues, investigated problems, and created solutions. I had “something
to point to” for my day. I had not felt like this since I resigned from my work
at Vanderbilt University.
As
I leave D.C. this week, I take that feeling with me as I create my own work in
consulting, vocational rehabilitation, and theological education around issues
of disability. We all should have “something to point to.” We all can make a
contribution. We all have gifts.
It’s
about time to head out for work, but there is just enough time for one more
song. I wish you were here to listen with me.
“Everyone
should have something to point to
Something
to be proud of…Everyone should have something to point to…”
No comments:
Post a Comment
Commenters must avoid profanity, harsh language and disparaging remarks on the basis of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability. All comments to the blog are moderated by AAPD, and can be subject to removal at any time.
Please use the comments section to engage in the ongoing dialogue between our program funders, current and former interns, our colleagues, and the broader disability community, and to respond to intern posts that intrigue you, to share your own stories, or to simply express your gratitude for being allowed into the world of our summer interns.