To start with, I’m happy to announce that Imagine! is the featured non-profit this month on KUNC radio (91.5 FM on the Front Range and 102.7 FM in Boulder). If you haven’t had a chance to hear the radio piece they are running about Imagine! (several times daily) click on this link to give it a listen. Thanks KUNC for the opportunity!
Secondly, I’d like to give a big shout out to Imagine! employees Lisa Bargatze and Caitlin Looney. Over the weekend, the pair took the time to update the accessible parking signs in Imagine! parking lots to feature a new, active image.
At Imagine!, we think visual representation matters. People with disabilities have a long history of being spoken for, of being rendered passive in decisions about their lives. The old icon, while a milestone in ADA history, displays that passivity: its arms and legs are drawn like mechanical parts, its posture is unnaturally erect, and its entire look is one that makes the chair, not the person, important and visible. As people with disabilities of all kinds—not just chair users—create greater rights and opportunities for social, political, and cultural participation, we think we should evolve our images of accessibility too.
Describing the new image with words such as active, abled, engaged, ready-for-action, determined, and motivated helps provoke discussion on how we view disabilities and people with disabilities in our culture. The symbol does not “represent” people with disabilities, but symbolizes the idea that all people with disabilities can be active and engaged in their lived environment. The active accessibility symbol helps re-imagine how society and individuals view people with disabilities.
To learn more about the nationwide Accessible Icon Project, the motivation behind Lisa and Caitlin’s efforts, click here.
Finally, and most important, I’d like to remind everyone that next week, Sept. 7-13, has been designated Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week as part of the American Network of Community Options and Resources’ (ANCOR) National Advocacy Campaign. Spearheaded by ANCOR members, with partners including the National Association of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) and the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS), National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week is celebrated annually across the country to honor the tens of thousands of workers who enable people with intellectual, developmental and other significant disabilities and their families to live healthy, community-oriented lives.
Locally, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper issued a proclamation recognizing DSP Week and honoring these vital workers. You can check that out below (click on the image to see a bigger version).
At Imagine!, DSPs are the heart and soul of our organization. Imagine! is so fortunate to have so many dedicated, talented, and passionate people who are willing not only to take on this difficult job, but to excel at it. I see first-hand every day the impact a Direct Support Professional can have on an individual with a cognitive or developmental disability.
So to all of Imagine!’s DSPs, I’d like to offer hearty “thank you.” Words can’t convey how much you mean to our organization and the people we serve. I am honored to call you my co-workers.
Love the sign change, makes a huge change in perception!! Also, couldn't be two better people to be making the sign! awesome ladies! =)
ReplyDeleteI usually don't put a lot of stock in symbols or subtle changes, but this one is impactful and I heartily approve of our adopting it to use everywhere!
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