By Ally Horine | Echo
After hosting a prospective student with cerebral palsy this past fall, sophomore Anna Gunderson made a new discovery: Taylor's campus is desperately inaccessible to students with disabilities.
"Because of her disability, this student used a power chair," Gunderson said. "We got stuck on the elevator in the DC several times, and there were several buildings we couldn't even go into because they weren't accessibly designed."
In an effort to raise awareness of this issue, Gunderson and many other students have collaborated to form the Ability Advocacy and Awareness Council (AAAC).
Advised by Assistant Professor of Education Tammy Mahon, the AAAC aims to build awareness of the difficulties for students with disabilities and the ways that individuals without disabilities can better support their family members, coworkers and friends. Through weekly meetings and scheduled events, the AAAC invites the Taylor and Upland communities to participate in dialogue about these issues.
"I hope that through this club, we can work with the campus to get these problems fixed so that others like [that prospective student] aren't miserable on campus," Gunderson said.
On March 4, AAAC will kick off its first event: a film screening and panel discussion. Though the film has not yet been chosen, the council plans on showing one that relates to the challenges a person with disabilities may face.
This event coincides with National Spread the Word to End the Word Day, a nation-wide youth movement to remove the word "retarded" from society. AAAC passionately stands behind this issue, as they believe in the negative effects such a label can have on people of all disability levels. While it may not always be said in a degrading way, the word still has harmful effects, according to AAAC.
"I have many friends with disabilities who tell me stories of being in the store where a kid or a person did this or said that. It breaks my heart," senior and AAAC vice president Mike Quiz said. "I know a lot of these situations happen because people haven't been educated about disabilities. My hope for this club is that we can stop the judgment and encourage a community of acceptance in all of Grant County."
After its February launch, this group hopes to gain support and understanding for students to foster compassion and meaningful discussion about the topic.
"We want Taylor students to see that each of us was uniquely designed by God, regardless of our ability level," said Mahon. "It is only with an acceptance of those abilities that we can see each individual's purpose and value."
