Senior psychology major Brianna Huntsinger has a birth defect known as spina bifida.
Still, she powers through workouts at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, and blogs about the experience.
Huntsinger, the secretary for disability affairs for Associated Students Inc., was inspired to write the blog after making sure the rec center was accessible to her.
“I wanted to make sure that students with disabilities knew that they were being represented,” she said. “And I wanted to give them a first-hand account of what using the equipment is like so they have a guide to follow if they decide that they want to go to the rec center to work out.”
Spina bifida causes physical mobility struggles through incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord and sometimes the body’s protective coverings. Huntsinger must use a leg brace to get around, but still considers herself a very active person. Loud noises affect her easily, and she has to avoid large crowds or any noisy situation.
Academically, she has difficulty because she processes information at a slower pace and must work more diligently than other students.
However, Huntsinger has discovered that the rec center is accommodating to those struggling with a disability.
“The rec center [staff] went out of their way to make sure everyone was equal,” she said. “The equipment was all together, and you didn’t feel segregated. They really created a great environment.”
One entry has been written for the month of November, and will be published this Friday. In January, Huntsinger hopes to make the blog bi-monthly.
Since Huntsinger is the secretary for disability affairs, ASI is supportive of the blog project.
“I decided to become the secretary for disability affairs because advocating for people with disabilities has always been something that has been close to my heart,” she said.
The 126,500-square-foot, two-story, state-of-the-art recreation facility is located on the east side of the Cal State Long Beach campus.
The rec center is managed by ASI recreation and is open to all CSULB students, associates and affiliates.
“My hope is that students will look at my blog and gain a sense of inclusiveness … meaning that they will see that the rec center is not just for ‘able-bodied’ people,” she said.
“There is something for everyone,” Huntsinger added.
Starting Friday, a link to the blog can be found at the Disabled Student Services Facebook page at, facebook.com/dss.csulb. The blog can also be accessed from the rec center’s home page, asirecreation.org.
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