It appears to me the program held by Jennifer Jordan at the Volunteer Center at Central Michigan University, may touch on some areas that Individuals with Disabilities struggle with on a daily basis, but it does not go far enough to get a real sense of the Architectural, programmatic, social and attitudinal barriers Individuals with Disabilities face everyday! To get the students to take the program seriously, the (The David Garcia Project) should have students spend a few hours using a wheelchair out in the community or tie one, or both hands behind your back and try to tie your sneakers or attempt to do the many 1000s of other daily task and activities Individuals with Disabilities tackle everyday. Or use a set of crutches while trying to get your morning latte’.

Jennifer Jordan states, “I’ve always been passionate to work with disabilities,” like that is all of who or what Individuals with Disabilities are about, “disabilities”! It would help to remove the stigma of Individuals with Disabilities if better language was used when referring to “people” that have Disabilities; they are “Individuals” that are capable of so many things and society needs to “open the doors” and “open their minds to provide opportunities.

It is wonderful that this program exists and is trying too open people’s eyes and minds to the subject, but please do it with true sincerity so the students really learn something and can go on with their lives with true sense of compassion and real understanding of the 1000s of barriers faced by Individuals with Disabilities!

Scott Ricker
Reli-Abilities &
Community Access Project
Volunteer
Access Advocate
Boston/Springfield, Massachusetts