(54th Entry) Tying my shoe!

Every once in a while I get in front of the video camera and just play. I’m trying to get used to being on camera and work on speaking extemporaneously. Plus we’re still trying to learn how to operate the camera. So when I do it… It’s not a scripted. In fact I really have no idea what I’m going to say at all. When I did the video… “What is a Disability?” (Between entries 51 and 52) I did use my definition of disability which is included in the Mission Statement and I had written it down so that I wouldn’t forget it in case I wanted to use it.

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One of the things I left out of this video was… almost always after the teacher introduced me they would walk to the back of the classroom to observe. After writing my name on the board and turning around introducing myself as, “Hi! My names Charlie and I was born this way. Do you have any questions?”… It became obvious that there were two types of teachers… The first and most common would react with a look of fright on their face. These were the control freaks. The other type would lean back against the wall and smile. This reaction was much less common however.

In the classrooms where the teacher leaned back and smiled, the kids almost immediately began raising their hands with questions. In the classrooms where the teacher reacted with a look of fear or worry of losing control, the kids would be less likely to ask questions in the beginning. I would have to coax them by telling a little more about myself and then asking them tell if they new anyone with a disability. Then they would begin to open up.

This to me is a great metaphor for the issue of disability. Anyone who works in Corporate America has undoubtedly been through some type of sensitivity, harassment or diversity training class. We’re basically taught not to ask questions and thus not be able to truly understand those around us. It’s basically the “Don’t ask. Don’t tell” scenario.

I remember in my last corporate position, a manager from the Malaysian plant met me in person for the first time. He was a good person who I enjoyed working. After talking for quit some time, he did something quite extraordinary for this company. He just looked at me and said something to the effect… Why didn’t someone just tell us about you so that we would have a better understanding of…?

The teachers who smiled as I introduced myself created an environment in their classrooms that fostered creativity, an environment that created inclusion rather than exclusion. When you’re not allowed to talk about, discuss issues… How can you be a part of…

The issue of disability is a metaphor for life. It’s just one of the reasons I say that everyone has a disability and yet it is more!