Associated Students, Inc. and student volunteers will host a Disability Awareness Week Oct. 18-20 in hopes of improving the campus attitude toward disabled students and showcasing campus resources.
“I have had a disability my entire life,” said Brianna Huntsinger, senior psychology major and secretary for Disability Affairs. “I see it as a very positive thing because I feel I have been given a wonderful outlet to speak up and be an advocate not only for myself, but for others with disabilities on and off campus.”
This event is an opportunity for those unfamiliar with the disabled community to become aware of their strengths and their contributions to the campus community.”
Getting around Cal State Long Beach can be an uphill battle for some disabled students literally because the campus is built on slopes. The biggest struggle for disabled students, however, is being included in campus life.
Navigating on campus is already difficult enough as it is, in addition to carrying class materials and having class resources converted or adjusted for use, said Ethan Meigs, junior sociology major on the planning committee for Disability Awareness Week.
Most students are only aware of pedestrian services like automatic opening doors, rail access and brail classroom signs. However, in order to dispel misconceptions and induce knowledge, Disability Awareness Week brings hands-on, everyday disabled activities to student volunteers.
Monday Oct. 18 will kick off with the debut of the Wheelchair Basketball Game one of the most popular practiced disabled sports. The event will demonstrate how wheelchair basketball differs from a standard basketball game.
In addition, there will be a game for volunteers, who can use wheelchairs provided by a community resource.
Tuesday will bring the return of “A Day in our Shoes,” which began in 2008, in which student leaders will identify themselves with a mental or physical disability, ranging from schizophrenia to blindness. Students will partake in realistic scenarios without any assistance, like being wheelchair-bound and finding their way around the University Student Union floors or being blind and having to find their way from Brotman Hall to the 49er Shops Bookstore.
Wednesday, will end the disability Awareness the week with a Resource Fair with around 30 vendors, varying in resource spectrum from Los Angeles County and Orange County.
“I am really excited to see all our efforts, and I hope the event truly impacts students on campus,” ASI Chief of Staff Austin Metoyer said.
According to the case manager of Disabled Student Services Rachel Ang, it’s an event that will show that people with disabilities also live full lives.
“This event is an opportunity for those unfamiliar with the disabled community to become aware of their strengths and their contributions to the campus community,” Huntsinger.
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