Acting for the American Disabilities Act

Hello again,

Yeah, odd title, but that is what I did this week. Or attempted to at the very least.

In a class last semester each of us were required to go through a couple simulations. One of them we had to be in a wheel chair for three of four hours and navigate around campus. Another entailed placing a series of masks over our faces that limited our vision in various ways. These simulations were meant to show us the struggles that individuals with disabilities face and how we can help our future students or co workers by adjusting out classroom environment to meet there needs.

Those simulations were not easy, but they were easier than the assignment we had this week. This one did not have an obvious, physical task to accomplish. We were assigned a disability with certain parameters, or requirements to accomplish this assignment. My assigned disability was Autism and I did not like the color red. For an entire day I would not eat anything red or I would look away from someone wearing red.

It was difficult. It was so easy to forget about the task and simply carry on normally. Although it made it so I was not successful at all times in fulfilling the task it did teach me how much I take it for granted that I do not have a disability. I would be in the middle of conversing with someone, who was wearing red and suddenly look down at the ground so I would not have to look at them. I would be using my phone, which happens to be a bright, cherry red and realize that I would not want to use it if I had this particular form of autism. I would be reaching for a knife and realize it had a red handle so I scrambled to find something different.

Small, everyday, normally simple tasks that became awkward and/or difficult. What I ate, who I talked to, how I communicated, all changed by one, assigned task. How would it feel, to have this as a permanent facet of my life. Not something that I did by choice but I did instinctively and with no or little control. More than that how many people around, who did not feel the same aversion, understand the situation.

I am sure I only caught a glimpse of what people with a wide range of disabilities experience but I cannot say I feel like I gained much of an understanding of what they go through. The more I learn the more I realize how much I do not know.

However, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step and I hope I can continue to learn more with every passing step.

Until next time,
Sapphire