Bring the lessons of Camp Sunshine back to school and into your day-to-day life!
After a session (or two or four) of volunteering at Camp Sunshine, you may have left Camp feeling like everything was clicking. You knew more than ever before about how to interact with a disabled peer. The Four Mindsets were top of mind, and navigating interactions with an individual with a disability felt easy and unforced.
But now, months have passed. The return to school and day-to-day. Now is the time to ask yourself, how do I carry Camp Sunshine back into “regular” life? How do I live out the Four Mindsets at school or work?
After an experience like you had at Camp this summer, it may be tempting to jump into interactions that appear to promote inclusion but don't actually improve the situation for the person with a disability. This is called “performative inclusion.” Performative, defined: “made or done for show (as to bolster one's own image or make a positive impression on others).” This is why your training at Camp Sunshine included encouragement to pursue dignity-based communication.
See the humanity in each person, don’t make them a “hero” just because they may have a disability. Consider: is it helpful to pursue something like nominating a classmate who has a disability to homecoming court, but then ignore them in the hallways or at the football game on Friday night?
There are many stories of students with disabilities who have been the subject of performative inclusion, who may experience a few fun moments at the center of attention, but then struggle after their moment in the spotlight has passed. The student may find themselves without anyone to sit with at lunch, or alone in the bleachers at the football game where people were cheering for them just weeks before. Consider the encouragement from Ellen Seidman, mother of Max, a young adult with Cerebral Palsy, who wrote:
“Everyday acceptance and inclusion are the dreams I have for my son. I don't wish for him to be put on a pedestal or revered; I'd like him to be treated like other guys his age. Just another teen who may have some visible challenges, but at heart is still a teen.”
During our sessions at Camp Sunshine, we experienced daily friendship of people with and without disabilities - we know that day-to-day all of us want to be seen and accepted for who we truly are. It’s important to remember that people with disabilities do not exist to be an inspiration to those without.
It’s not just in-person or at-school events. Think before you post on social media, too! Does the video you might share make a spectacle of a disabled person, or celebrate them? Would it be embarrassing if the video was about you?
On the other hand, the fourth mindset that we learned about at Camp Sunshine is Celebrate Diversity and Disability. We just celebrated July as Disability Pride Month, and we find deep joy in celebrating, honoring, and encouraging each member of the Camp Sunshine community. Gestures of inclusiveness that aren’t rooted in friendship and community are what can appear empty or performative - but true celebration of accomplishment: on the field, in the classroom, or in daily life, deserve to be uplifted!
One example of how we can celebrate, honor, and highlight those with disabilities is the 2024 Paralympic Games that kick off on August 28. For nearly two weeks, the world will watch and celebrate Paralympic athletes who exemplify the spirit of Olympians, and display the Paralympic value of courage: “Courage encompasses the unique spirit of the Paralympic athlete who seeks to accomplish what the general public deems unexpected, but what the athlete knows as a truth.”
As you settle back into normal life, how can you continue to be inclusive to everyone around you? Think about your daily routines, and invite others to join you: invite a friend to a football game or to join you at lunch. Maybe give them a ride home or to an after-school activity. We encourage you to take what you learned at Camp back into your everyday life and be an advocate for true, authentic inclusion.
One final thought, from disabled activist Simi Roach:
“That’s why combating ableism is so important. And that’s why it’s so ridiculous that people I don’t know would come up to me and congratulate me on simply waking up in the morning. One of the ways to spot the difference between inspiration p*rn and actual inspiring people is to ask yourself whether the same thing would be considered ‘inspiring’ if it was done by an able-bodied person: Would it be inspirational if an able-bodied person revolutionized theoretical physics? Yes. Would it be inspirational if an able-bodied person simply minding their own business passed you on the street? No.” Read the full blog post here! More Resources
Inspiration Porn vs. Actual Inspiring People – The Wheelchair Teen
“I’m Not Your Inspiration” TED Talk from Stella Young
April Lockhart, Instagram
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