Miss-Delectable
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Living blind, deaf, or disabled for a day - The Campus - College of the Sequoias
It is unfortunate to see how many normal activities people encounter each day, such as opening a car door, walking down the sidewalk and even listening to their favorite tune, are being taken for granted.
How many of us actually take the time to sit down and reflect on how much we are able to do with our bodies? How different would our lives be if we were unable to hear, walk, or even see? This is the reality for people who are disabled, people who have lost their vision, hearing or the ability to walk.
Fortunately, Barrier Awareness gave COS students and the community the chance to actually experience how life is for a person who is disabled. Barrier Awareness took place on October 8, 2011 at Garden Street Plaza in downtown Visalia and consisted of students and other individuals who wanted to experience an average day for a person who is blind, deaf or unable to walk. Each person was teamed up with two teammates, one of them disabled, and were given two hours to go about the town. The only catch was that each teammate was given a task such as being blindfolded or confined to a wheelchair while they made their journey across downtown Visalia.
"A lot of people overlook the small details that disabled people go through," said COS student Efrain Magallan who was an attendee at Barrier Awareness.
Unfortunately, this statement is true due to the fact that most individuals do not understand how many struggles exist for the disabled population.
Anything such as a sharp curb on the sidewalk or a building without a wheelchair ramp can become an obstacle for a person who has a disability. This does not mean that people should perceive individuals with disabilities as human beings who cannot do anything, this is far from the truth. Every single person, whether disabled or unimpaired, encounter problems in their lives, but that does not necessarily mean that either group is incapable of moving forward.
"People who are disabled can do anything but hear, see or walk. Just because we are disabled it doesn't mean that we can't do other things in life," said Katherine Carlsen, who teaches American Sign Language at COS. As she considers herself a representative of the deaf community, she enjoys what Barrier Awareness has to offer to society.
Carlsen hopes that Barrier Awareness will be held more often since more of the population needs to understand the disadvantages disability brings. Barrier Awareness shows a significant amount of potential as it advocates an important message. With the help of its supporters, more people will be able see the disabled demographic in a new light.
It is unfortunate to see how many normal activities people encounter each day, such as opening a car door, walking down the sidewalk and even listening to their favorite tune, are being taken for granted.
How many of us actually take the time to sit down and reflect on how much we are able to do with our bodies? How different would our lives be if we were unable to hear, walk, or even see? This is the reality for people who are disabled, people who have lost their vision, hearing or the ability to walk.
Fortunately, Barrier Awareness gave COS students and the community the chance to actually experience how life is for a person who is disabled. Barrier Awareness took place on October 8, 2011 at Garden Street Plaza in downtown Visalia and consisted of students and other individuals who wanted to experience an average day for a person who is blind, deaf or unable to walk. Each person was teamed up with two teammates, one of them disabled, and were given two hours to go about the town. The only catch was that each teammate was given a task such as being blindfolded or confined to a wheelchair while they made their journey across downtown Visalia.
"A lot of people overlook the small details that disabled people go through," said COS student Efrain Magallan who was an attendee at Barrier Awareness.
Unfortunately, this statement is true due to the fact that most individuals do not understand how many struggles exist for the disabled population.
Anything such as a sharp curb on the sidewalk or a building without a wheelchair ramp can become an obstacle for a person who has a disability. This does not mean that people should perceive individuals with disabilities as human beings who cannot do anything, this is far from the truth. Every single person, whether disabled or unimpaired, encounter problems in their lives, but that does not necessarily mean that either group is incapable of moving forward.
"People who are disabled can do anything but hear, see or walk. Just because we are disabled it doesn't mean that we can't do other things in life," said Katherine Carlsen, who teaches American Sign Language at COS. As she considers herself a representative of the deaf community, she enjoys what Barrier Awareness has to offer to society.
Carlsen hopes that Barrier Awareness will be held more often since more of the population needs to understand the disadvantages disability brings. Barrier Awareness shows a significant amount of potential as it advocates an important message. With the help of its supporters, more people will be able see the disabled demographic in a new light.