Diana Pastora Carson:
Welcome to the Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters podcast. Here you will find a safe space to learn and grow with leaders in education, disability studies, disability advocacy, and diversity, equity and inclusion conversations. Specifically, we look at how disability fits into diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how to frame disability awareness in the context of educating K through 12 communities. This podcast serves educators, parents and community members who strive to learn and or teach about disability in a research-based and respectful way, moving beyond simple awareness and diving into inclusive and socially responsive conversations. Thank you for joining us today. Now let's go beyond awareness.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Hi, and welcome back to Beyond Awareness Disability Awareness That Matters. It is so good to be back. I am so excited about this episode because I get to share something near and dear to my heart, and that is putting on a Beyond Awareness Celebration. So if you are considering putting on a disability awareness event at your school or in your community this year, this episode is going to not only be informative, but also encouraging and perhaps motivational. I'm going to share with you what we did at McMillin Elementary School in Chula Vista, California last spring. As we've done every year for the past 20 years, our Beyond Awareness Celebration follows the standards and structure set forth in my Beyond Awareness book, entitled Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability Into Diversity Work in K 12 Schools and Communities, as well as in my compact tri-fold laminated educators guide called Beyond Disability Awareness: An Educator's Guide, published by NPR, Inc.
Diana Pastora Carson:
And of course, it follows the standards set forth in my Digital Beyond Awareness course. You can find the links to all these great resources in the show notes. However, many years ago prior to my awakening, so to speak, during my first several years of leading disability awareness activities at my school, I did disability awareness the way my mentors had done it. I did simulation activities like having students wear blindfolds or glasses smeared with Vaseline to feel what it might be like to be blind or to have low vision. But I did not teach them about assistive technology that is an access need for people who are blind or who have low vision, as well as many other people with different types of disabilities. I did not teach the students or staff about the social isolation and limited access to social activities or even educational or vocational opportunities that people who are blind encounter due to societal ableism.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Another example of what I used to do is I had students try on or quote/ unquote, try on a wheelchair, to see how that would feel. They'd use it for a minute or two minutes, maybe even five minutes, depending on how large the group was, and they would think that they now understood what it was like to use a wheelchair. They got the impression that it must be hard to have a mobility disability solely based on how differently a person's body works, but they did not have an understanding that environmental and attitudinal barriers that prevent access or those barriers that perpetuate negative and pitiful stereotypes are what actually makes it hard to have a disability.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Another example of something I did that came highly recommended by a mentor was I even hired a group to perform a puppet show with disabled puppets that turned out to be a nightmare. The messaging was ableist on so many levels that I had to stop the show before it was even finished. But that was a pivotal moment for me. While I taught elementary school, I had also begun teaching a disability studies course at a local community college. And within my research and preparation, I learned several distinctions that upended everything I had understood about disability awareness. I realized that we had been doing it all wrong. That traditional disability awareness was grossly outdated and counterproductive. My eyes were suddenly opened to the ableism and hypocrisy of our disability awareness thinking the puppet show fiasco was just what I needed to upend all my strategies and revamp my focus. That's when I began taking my school Beyond Awareness, and that's why I wrote the book and the tri-fold laminated educator's guide and created the digital course, which again, will all be in the show notes, links will, will be in the show notes. So I want everyone to have this critical knowledge. I wanna save others from the regret of doing disability awareness with good intentions but bad outcomes.
Diana Pastora Carson:
So back to the story. Now, every year I have led a Beyond Awareness Celebration since where people with lived disability experience come and share with our students about their lives, but also they embed certain topics into their presentations. And those topics are based in disability research, and they include ableism access and inclusion, belonging, assistive technology, disability history, respectful language, and so much more. Sometimes I refer to these as the five fundamentals, but I've expanded them. There are more now when these fundamental topics are embedded into the stories and presentations of many guest presenters who have diverse lived disability experiences, the message is clear that there is nothing about us without us. And now that I've retired from teaching, I've passed the torch to my colleagues and friends and was able to support them in conducting a Beyond Awareness celebration online during the pandemic. And then earlier this year, I supported them in conducting their first in-person Beyond Awareness Celebration.
Diana Pastora Carson:
The event was co-led by teachers Andrea Galang and Liza Tuscano. This time around, Andrea took the lead as she had done a virtual version last year. By the way, I'll also put a wonderful resource in the show notes that Andrea created. It's A PDF with links to many recorded interviews of presenters with disabilities. And you can feel free to use it with your students or community on your campus or wherever you would like to have individuals with disabilities share from a Beyond awareness focus. So this annual event is a huge undertaking at McMillin. Each year, we'd invite 30 to 50 guests with disabilities to come and spend the day with our students and staff. They would either present to groups or classes or read books to students or listen to students, read books to them. They'd play on the playground with students in games such as basketball or Foursquare.
Diana Pastora Carson:
They'd share in grade level assemblies such as wheelchair dance performances or wheelchair basketball games. They'd share their assistive technology devices or modified vehicles with students. And the week of our event, we'd always hang student, created signs up all over the campus with phrases such as, all means All or Inclusion Matters, or Let's go beyond Awareness, and we build the excitement among the students and the staff. Meanwhile, there was a lot of coordination going on behind the scenes, including scheduling with presenters and grade levels, gathering support from custodians, secretaries, teachers and parents, arranging for refreshments and lunches for volunteers, planning for, and paying for any access needs of presenters and so on. So many details go into an in-person event like this with so many people involved. I did a check-in with Andrea Galang, the lead coordinator the night before McMillin's Beyond Awareness Celebration. So Andrea, tomorrow's a big day tomorrow. You're doing your first ever in-person beyond Awareness celebration, and how are you doing?
Andrea Galang:
Uh, I'm a little nervous. Um, it's been a month of planning and at this point it's just, you know, whatever happens, happens. .
Diana Pastora Carson:
,
Andrea Galang:
Thankfully our school's been doing this for 20 years, so I have an idea of how it's gonna go. Um, and then the staff does too. But what made, so, um, my co-worker, Liza, is helping me with all of this. And what made us laugh today was we're like, we got this. Like the staff knows what to do, we've done this before, and then we go to the office to talk to our custodian and to talk to our admin, and we realize they're new to our school . They're like, we don't, we don't know how to help you. And we're like, it's fine. We're gonna figure it out. Um, so yeah, we're I'm very excited. Um, yeah, I'm excited. Everything's prepared. It says it's the best that it can be. Um, so yeah.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Is there anything in particular helpful to you in that preparation?
Andrea Galang:
Yes. Um, so your book actually helped a lot. Um, oh, we prepared, uh, like clipboards with resources for our presenters that are gonna be there for the rotations and then the classroom visitors. And we didn't really have to, I don't reinvent the wheel or come up with our own things because you had a lot of resources available in your book. Um, and the Beyond Awareness courses that I took during the Pandemic helped me a lot. Right. In terms of planning. Mm-hmm.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Great. I'm glad they could be of support. Mm-hmm. . And so Andrea, why are you doing this?
Andrea Galang:
So the reason why I'm doing this is as a teacher, I mean, I was very lucky to be working with you and the Beyond Awareness Celebration is my most favorite event of the year. So I was very happy to, to take that on. And I just think it's so important. Um, our school, we are very big on inclusion, and I just think it's so important that we have this day, um, to, it's, it's good representation, um, of diversity.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Excellent
Andrea Galang:
Yeah.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Well, thanks for taking it on, Andrea. Good luck. Yeah,
Andrea Galang:
Thank you. .
Diana Pastora Carson:
And I interviewed her the morning of the event as well.
Liza Tuscano :
. So how are you doing, Andrea? I'm good. A lot of things changed since 5:00 AM , but we're here, everything's working out. Um, a lot of the teachers that I've talked to are like, it's great. Everything's going great. So great.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Mm-hmm. . And then I interviewed Andrea at the end of the school day when all the perfectly planned chaos had come to an end. How You doing?
Andrea Galang:
I survived the event was a success. . Yay. Everyone was where they needed to be. And yeah.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Then I had a post-event conversation with Andrea and Liza, co-coordinators who were so excited to share that we joked about me not knowing when to stop recording because they just kept going on and on.
Andrea Galang:
I feel like that's what's so important about this is, is bringing people from the community into our schools and hearing their stories. It's, it's important. And yeah. So it was, it was fun having my family here because then now they see, and now they get it mm-hmm. and they're looking forward to future events. And even just the adults that we had volunteer too. Yeah. They're all looking forward to next year. They were all in awe. Yeah. Yeah. So it's not just for the kids, it's for the community. And then
Liza Tuscano :
These kids are gonna go home and tell their families about it too, right?
Diana Pastora Carson:
You keep talking after I, it was, it was a fun experience, Diana. Oh, that's great. So thanks . So thanks for having us like, I don't know...
Liza Tuscano :
Thanks for helping us. Yeah.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Oh, it was really an honor and it was so fun to see you do all the heavy lifting.
Liza Tuscano :
Yeah. Yes, Andrea. I know. I would, I told her I'll do some of the lifting next year. .
Andrea Galang:
I know, but it was funny walking around 'cause I saw you, you know, you actually got to listen to the presentations and now I'm in your shoes. I'm like, oh, I missed that. Or I wanted to hear that, you know, so now I was just hearing it by word of mouth. I'm done, . Okay.
Diana Pastora Carson:
These events run so much smoother with the support of volunteers from the community for McMillin. The volunteers are mostly parents at the school and mostly with the P T A. But this year Andrea brought in her brother and her husband Jay for support. Here's what Jay had to say about the Beyond Awareness celebration. So Jay, today was your first time ever attending an A Beyond Awareness event. Mm-hmm. . And what did you think? Yeah, you came, you came as a volunteer,
Jae:
Came as a volunteer, left as a, uh, um, admirer of Beyond Awareness. Had a great time, very eye-opening, um, got to, meet some very, uh, unique people, um, you know, learned a lot about other people's stories, and I'm so happy and grateful to be a part of this.
Diana Pastora Carson:
I also wanted to get the perspective of McMillin's new principal, Savannah Sturgis. Savannah, you are the principal of McMillin Elementary School, and this was your first time participating, hosting a Beyond Awareness event. Just wanna hear what your thoughts are about it, what you felt about it, your takeaways from it. Mm-hmm. .
Savannah Sturges:
Yeah. It was for me a great experience, um, for myself, but also to be able to, you know, learn more about these individuals through the eyes of our students. Um, I think having them understand what the experience was like for some of these individuals with disabilities growing up. Many of them shared their stories. They shared what it felt like in elementary school to be in a separate setting, a separate environment. They talked about their struggles with making friends, um, in different social situations. And so I thought that was really important for our students to hear because maybe some of our students are feeling that way too and experiencing that as well. And now they're seeing someone else who's also gone through that, but who has overcome it. Um, and then for some of our students, helping them understand what others around them might be going through.
Savannah Sturges:
And, you know, those types of authentic learning experiences, I think make our students better individuals and contributors to society. And, um, to be able to give them that and see that today was just so meaningful and so special. And, um, I, I couldn't think of a better learning experience for our students than hearing firsthand from those who are living, um, their lives. And, you know, I, I know that the students will always remember this, and so I'm really glad that they were given that opportunity. And I wish that every school and all students were given that opportunity to hear these stories. Um, because I don't think we talk about it enough. Um, and I don't think we hear that perspective enough. Um, and so it was, it was just so it enlightening and, um, heartwarming and it was, I learned as well. Yeah.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Yeah. Great. Mm-hmm. , thank you for hosting it. Mm-hmm. , thank you for trusting your staff and the community to Yeah. Have it happen. Yeah,
Savannah Sturges:
I was very impressed with, um, our entire community and, you know, I could see the students just listening and taking it all in and, um, asking questions and not being afraid. And, um, it shows me that our youth are, you know, inherently good and accepting and, you know, I'm glad that we're helping you know, them to continue that for the rest of their lives through experiences like today. Yeah.
Diana Pastora Carson:
And finally, I asked a couple of the guest presenters what they thought about the event. Here's Stephen Hinkle.
Stephen Hinkle :
I felt like it went really well. The kids learned a lot, the kids seemed to be very happy, and I think it really promoted diversity.
Diana Pastora Carson:
And here's Dr. Suzanne Stolz.
Dr. Suzanne Stolz:
So I think a really unique piece of this are the five fundamentals and, uh, giving kids an opportunity to learn about what ableism is, what barriers there are that get in the way of people accessing, um, relationships, accessing education, accessing, um, all the things that they want, um, or need to have access to, um, to lead a fulfilling life. So, um, being able to focus on those things that, um, often schools haven't been teaching.
Diana Pastora Carson:
This event was a success by all accounts, but please note McMillin has been doing this for 20 years. I know to some it might sound overwhelming. Um, so I want you to know that a beyond awareness celebration can look very different in order to meet your needs and your community's needs, no matter the scale of your event, whether it's in your classroom or on your campus, or even an entire city, it will make a difference in a positive direction. And yes, it will take some work, especially while you're learning and making connections, but it does get so much easier the more you do it. But what is more important to notice is that this successful event and many years of successful events took focusing on what truly matters. It took commitment to standards for going beyond awareness in a way that makes a difference now and in the future, disability awareness, the term has become so cliche that we don't even consider the purpose.
Diana Pastora Carson:
It's now so closely associated with drippy sweet ableism and inspiration porn. And if you don't know what inspiration porn is, then you'll wanna listen to my episode number 22, where I interviewed Dr. Toni Saia on the topic of inspiration porn. So let me complete the sentence now, , so it's so closely associated with drippy sweet ableism and inspiration porn that many people in the disability advocacy community even roll their eyes at the term. It's kind of an offensive term because we omit so much that needs to be covered in order to make that positive difference. So what I'm about to say is going to be very direct and maybe even perceived as offensive to some, but I want you to know that I'm saying it with love and appreciation. And my hope is that you'll see it as an opportunity for self-reflection and personal and professional growth.
Diana Pastora Carson:
So if we're gonna do disability awareness, we must be clear of our purpose is our purpose to feel good and make students be nice to those quote/ unquote "poor disabled kids". Because if that's the limit of our motivation, then we are wasting an amazing opportunity and wasting precious time where we can make an actual difference. So if that's why you're doing it, then you won't be taking your students beyond simple awareness, and you may as well not even bother. Because even with the best of intentions, if we focus on teaching about what disabilities are, or that there are people with disabilities like we didn't already know that, and we omit societal forms of discrimination or disabling in disabling, then we will perpetuate more pity and ableism and we won't solve the real problems.
Diana Pastora Carson:
But if you wanna go beyond awareness and create awareness of ableism or discrimination against people with disabilities, and you are committed to creating awareness of and commitment to access and inclusion and true belonging, and if you're committed to meeting people's access needs through assistive technology and flexible accommodations and universal design or design for access and more, if you want students to understand the systemic inequities in our educational system, in our medical system, in our employment sector, and many other societal institutions, and you want them to understand it from a disability history perspective, and you want students to use respectful language because they understand the importance of honoring everyone and creating access for everyone, then go ahead and do it and call it beyond awareness while actually taking your community beyond awareness.
Diana Pastora Carson:
I'm gonna end with this quote, it's one of my favorites by Maya Angelou. She said, do the best you can until you know better. And when you know better, do better, we can do so much better. Let's go beyond awareness. Thank you to all the hardworking, committed staff, families, and students of McMillin Elementary School, and thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the incredible presenters who over the years have generously shared your time and energy with us and supported us in our growth and in making the world a better place for all.
Diana Pastora Carson:
If you wanna know more about how to go beyond awareness this year, get started with my free resource, the Five Keys to Going Beyond Awareness at www.gobeyondawareness.com/keys.
Diana Pastora Carson:
Thank you for tuning into this episode of Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters. If this was helpful to you, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review this show on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. You can also follow me, Diana, on Instagram @DianaPastoraCarson and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoBeyondAwareness. Or you can go to my website for more information at www.DianaPastoraCarson.com. My books include Beyond Awareness: Bringing Disability into Diversity Work in K-12 Schools and Communities, as well as my children's book, Ed Roberts: Champion of Disability Rights. They can both be found on Amazon. For your free Beyond Awareness resource called the "5 Keys to Going Beyond Awareness," simply go to www.GoBeyondAwareness.com/keys. This podcast transcription and podcast guest information can be found in the show notes. Intro and outro music has been provided courtesy of my son, Emmanuel Castro. Thank you again. Be well, be a lifelong learner, and let's be inclusive. See you next time.
