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An able-bodied person ' s
eye-opening experience
" I can just imagine how much people with disabilities can achieve with support and awareness ." ~ Joyana Riviere
My experience attending the Youth with Disabilities Caribbean sessions was indeed an eye opener !
This event is held every Sunday via Zoom from 2:00pm to 4:00 pm AST . Attendees consist of youths with disabilities through out the Caribbean , advocates , families and friends . Youths with various disabilites host these sessions and often invite industry professionals to share their expertise with the group , be it on mental health , healthy eating or other important topics .
What I thought would have been just attending a few sessions to complete an assignment for one of my courses , turned into disability awareness and a profound learning experience to which I returned Sunday after Sunday .
I came to the realization that we as able-bodied people cannot speak to or understand things we have no clue about , or have experienced from the perspective of a person with a disability . I was always aware of the little-to-no representation , accommodation and awareness people with disabilities endure in the Caribbean as compared to the United States and other regions , but I admire their strength and endurance , and they have earned my respect and admiration !
My attendance at these sessions allowed me to see how unique , gifted and talented people with disabilities are .
We have always been told “ The Sky ' s the limit ” and with the right support and awareness , indeed , the Sky is the limit for people with disabilities . I learned this from my attendance at these Sunday sessions .
It was amazing to see youths with disabilities make presentations and speak confidently to the Zoom audience , engaging in the discussions , playing trivia games and being very interactive . I can just imagine how much more they can achieve with support and community awareness .