For 15 years, Options for Independence has sponsored “Disability Awareness Day” (DAD). The event invites community members to share on a temporary basis what one in five Americans experience every day - living a disability. Participants in DAD assume a disability for a morning and then take part in a roundtable discussion of their experiences. The event was held at Owasco Elementary School and was catered through the generosity of Balloon's Restaurant.
This column highlights the experiences of community members who participated.
Mayor Michael Quill
“I'd have to switch to a clip-on tie,” said Quill, who spent the morning with his arm tightly bound to his chest to simulate an arm amputation. The mayor said that his difficulties started right off the bat when he discovered that he couldn't put on a tie. He smiled as he considered how vulnerable it would make him feel to deal with this kind of disability on a daily basis.
The challenges continued when he got to the office as he discovered that he couldn't even log onto his computer without help because it required a three key code.
Though the mayor could smile about how his perspective changed due to his assumed disability, he became more serious when he reflected on his former career. He said bluntly that being a firefighter would have been impossible with the disability he had for the morning.
Evergreen Heights
Director Laurie Didio
As someone who deals with people with disabilities on a regular basis in her job, spending the morning with a simulated hearing disability gave her new insight into the challenges faced by individuals with that disability.
She related an anecdote about her grandmother who would always tell her to slow down when she spoke. On her morning in earplugs, she found herself telling people the same thing.
“Now I understand why,” she said.
Manager of First Niagara Bank Demetrius Murphy
Murphy spent the morning in a neck brace to simulate a spinal injury. The brace made all sorts of daily activities difficult because he couldn't turn his head. He had to spend the day bending at the waist to see things. He found the challenge so unwieldy that he took the brace off so he could drive safely to the event.
Many people in the community know Murphy better as Coach Murphy. The coach in him felt deeply connected to the plight of student athletes who face new challenges as a result of sports injuries.
Director of Leadership Cayuga Ginny Kent
Kent spent the morning confined to a wheelchair. She found her condition made her suddenly self-conscious because she felt like everyone was staring at her. Though people were very generous with offers of help, the snowy day made navigating sidewalks and wheelchair ramps much more difficult than she had imagined.
The Citizen education reporter Alyssa Sunkin
Sunkin spent the morning with a simulated arm amputation. As a right handed person, losing use of her right hand presented a particular challenge because it forced her to reach awkwardly around her work station to do common tasks. She also found that typing and checking e-mail was difficult.
Echoing the sentiments of the other speakers, she described the experience as very enlightening.
Next week: More experiences on Disability Awareness Day.
Collin M. Sullivan is the ADA/access advocate for Options for Independence.
Mayor Michael Quill
“I'd have to switch to a clip-on tie,” said Quill, who spent the morning with his arm tightly bound to his chest to simulate an arm amputation. The mayor said that his difficulties started right off the bat when he discovered that he couldn't put on a tie. He smiled as he considered how vulnerable it would make him feel to deal with this kind of disability on a daily basis.
The challenges continued when he got to the office as he discovered that he couldn't even log onto his computer without help because it required a three key code.
Though the mayor could smile about how his perspective changed due to his assumed disability, he became more serious when he reflected on his former career. He said bluntly that being a firefighter would have been impossible with the disability he had for the morning.
Evergreen Heights
Director Laurie Didio
As someone who deals with people with disabilities on a regular basis in her job, spending the morning with a simulated hearing disability gave her new insight into the challenges faced by individuals with that disability.
She related an anecdote about her grandmother who would always tell her to slow down when she spoke. On her morning in earplugs, she found herself telling people the same thing.
“Now I understand why,” she said.
Manager of First Niagara Bank Demetrius Murphy
Murphy spent the morning in a neck brace to simulate a spinal injury. The brace made all sorts of daily activities difficult because he couldn't turn his head. He had to spend the day bending at the waist to see things. He found the challenge so unwieldy that he took the brace off so he could drive safely to the event.
Many people in the community know Murphy better as Coach Murphy. The coach in him felt deeply connected to the plight of student athletes who face new challenges as a result of sports injuries.
Director of Leadership Cayuga Ginny Kent
Kent spent the morning confined to a wheelchair. She found her condition made her suddenly self-conscious because she felt like everyone was staring at her. Though people were very generous with offers of help, the snowy day made navigating sidewalks and wheelchair ramps much more difficult than she had imagined.
The Citizen education reporter Alyssa Sunkin
Sunkin spent the morning with a simulated arm amputation. As a right handed person, losing use of her right hand presented a particular challenge because it forced her to reach awkwardly around her work station to do common tasks. She also found that typing and checking e-mail was difficult.
Echoing the sentiments of the other speakers, she described the experience as very enlightening.
Next week: More experiences on Disability Awareness Day.
Collin M. Sullivan is the ADA/access advocate for Options for Independence.
