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By Angel Savoy-James
December 14, 2008
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Story
Her little one came running into the kitchen. “Mom, what are you
making for the party tomorrow at school? Mom looked into the pantry.
Chocolate chips, a half bag of walnuts, flour, sugar. “Looks like
chocolate chip cookies. “Yeah, um…” said the child. What’s up Mom
asked as she began pulling the ingredients from the cupboard. “It’s
just that Juanita is allergic to chocolate so she can’t eat them.”
No biggie, mom says. “Sugar cookies it is.”
‘And Tyrone and Michael can’t eat peanut butter.” I’m not making
peanut… Mom stopped and thought for a second. “No walnuts got it.
Plain sugar cookies.” But mom. “Yes, my child?” The child thought
for a second. Lisa and Robert can’t eat glue. “What?” They can’t eat
glue in the cookies. Mom exclaimed Gluten. Not glue. Gluten. I got
it. Oh, well I can’t make sugar cookies. Well, there will be other
foods. I’ll just make these cookies. But mom, these are my friends.
I told them you were the best cook. Can’t you make something that
all of us can enjoy? Mom turned back to her pantry.
Why do anything about accessibility?
Accessibility is such a huge topic that many of you may not know how
to work on this social justice issue. Or maybe, many of you feel
that it is not an issue worth dealing with because it doesn’t affect
you personally. I remind you of the chalice lighting quote from
Joseph Shapiro “Disability is the one minority that anyone can join
at any time, as a result of a sudden automobile accident, a fall
down a flight of stairs, cancer, or disease.”
There is still what I have heard termed segregated accessibility.
Many churches and businesses proclaim they are accessible if they
have one door for wheelchair access, one hearing device for a
congregation with 250 members, and even large print order of service
booklets. There are still many places where the only accessible
entrance is the back door, side door, or even the loading dock.
An event took place at General Assembly in Florida this past summer.
A young lady walked up to the mic and graciously asked for those of
us who wear perfume and fragrance to not because she was allergic to
the scents. The moderator stated that there was a fragrance free
section located up front. My husband later made the comment that yes
she could enjoy the conference with others who wanted to be
fragrance free but not with the entire conference attendees. One
place to sit for those who have allergies to fragrances or perfumes.
Or when we think about disabilities, many of us are far more
comfortable handling physical disabilities because they can be seen,
they are tangible. It’s harder to discuss how to provide better
accessible to those individuals with hidden disabilities like
chronic pain, mental disabilities like bipolar disorder or learning
disabilities such as Attention Deficit Disorder, ADA.
So my hope today is that you realize that you can do something
starting today to make yourself more accessible and this church more
accessible to those who are different. Davies already has a track
record for doing this.
First let’s set the stage with a few definitions.
Impairment: an impairment is a missing, damaged, deficient, or
weakened body part or function. A person who is deaf or has hearing
loss has a hearing impairment. A person who is blind or wears
glasses has a visual impairment. Someone who has chronic pain and
stiffness from arthritis has impaired movement.
Disability: a disability is the inability to perform one or more
major life activities because of impairment. Major life activities
include the following:
1. caring for oneself in hygiene and homemaking
2. having full range of movement while standing, lifting, walking,
and so forth
3. Having intact senses (vision, hearing, touch, smell, taste,
balance)
4. Communicating with others (speaking, writing)
5. Learning and working
6. Using mental processes such as thinking, concentrating, and
problem solving
7. Interacting with other and developing and maintaining
relationships
Handicap: a handicap is any obstacle that lessons a person’s chance
of success. It is anything that makes a person’s progress difficult
or prevents him from doing something. Examples of handicaps include:
1. Social obstacles, such as other people’s negative attitudes and
behaviors
2. Personal obstacles, such as lack of information about one’s own
disability and resources
3. Physical obstacles, such as inaccessible buildings, parks, or
transportation
4. Resource obstacles, such as insufficient money, insurance,
personal care assistants, employment, training, housing, or
recreation. I’m not sure a golf handicap is considered here but it
could be.
Resources: Resources include medical, educational, social, and other
interventions and supports for people who have special needs because
of their disabilities. And
Accommodations are changes that people make in their interactions or
physical environment to increase participation and equality. We will
return to these two items resources and accommodations in a moment.
The UUA uses a few additional terms when we discuss disability.
Accessibility: Defined by the International Organization for
Standardization, accessibility is the usability of a product,
service, environment or facility by people with the widest range of
capabilities. The UUA office of Accessibility Concerns states an
accessible congregation means that everyone can: arrive at the
building, enter and exit, use its services and amenities;
participate in its activities, and access its information.
UUA terminology also includes able-bodied and ably-challenged. Right
relations is a term used to encourage education and reflection on
what it means to be a safe congregation and to be persons in right
relationships.
What can we as individuals and as a congregation do at Davies?
Three key areas we can work on when it comes to becoming a more
accessible person and a more accessible church:
- Adjust our attitude
- Focus our attention
- Use our ability
Adjust our Attitude
Recognize that humans with disabilities all have unique talents and
abilities. Ask a person with a disability first if they need help
before assuming they need your help. Many of our brothers and
sisters with disabilities say that many times people who are
able-bodied constantly ask whether they need help. As a woman on a
construction site, I am confronted with this. I go to pick up a
ladder or a stick of pipe. And lo and behold there is some gentleman
behind me trying to lift the ladder or piece of pipe for me. I
graciously thank him and kindly remind him that I can carry the
item. When you see someone with a disability please don’t assume
that they need help. When I needed help on the job, I would seek
help.
We may say African American, Asian American. What happens when we
say Disabled American or even Disabled Veteran? A more human term is
an American with a disability. He served in the Army. He has a
disability. The term disability does not make the person. Regardless
we are all humans first. Equal treatment begins with recognizing
this first.
From the UUA Accessibility website, uua.org/accessibility, I
encourage you to check out the link titled Disability 101 to learn
more. There are links to several kinds of disabilities including
visual, hearing, mobility, chemical sensitivities, psychiatric, and
invisible disabilities. As a sample, please consider the following
etiquette when you are with a person who has an invisible
disability:
Don't refuse to believe what you cannot see by doubting a person's
truthfulness. People do not like to always have to identify
themselves as a person with a disability. When planning an event,
add a note about accessibility needs with a direct number to a real
person. That opens the door for the person to reach out and not feel
like they are imposing. The best tactic is to simply talk to a
person and ask what they can and cannot do.
Always assume there is a person with a hidden disability in a group.
So always say "Rise if you are willing and able," and always plan
quick stretch breaks every 30-45 minutes. If a person says they
cannot do something, don't try to coax or cajole or convince them to
try anyway. Invite partial participation, and ask what you can do to
make participation possible.
A hearing impairment is a hidden disability; always assume there is
a person in your group with hearing loss so face your audience.
Don't judge another person's pain or limitations; accept as true
what the person tells you.
Focus our Attention
What should we focus our attention on? Independent living. Are the
things that we are doing now helping someone with a disability to
live independently? Are there barriers, handicaps that are
preventing us from allowing those who different to feel welcome and
free to express themselves? Are we allowing others to equally
embrace the human experience? And here lies a unique opportunity for
Davies. Whereas the civil rights movement in the 60’s and 70’s
focused on equal treatment for all ethnic groups and women, equality
for those who are disabled cannot simply be equal treatment. You
wouldn’t treat someone with autism or with a learning disability the
same way as someone who is hearing impaired or uses a wheelchair.
I said I would get back to resources and accommodations. In
Everybody’s Different, the authors point to using resources such as
religious groups to access social and community programs. We need to
focus our attention on what accommodations we can make in our homes,
in our work environment, and in our church. In Everybody’s
different, Understanding and Changing Our Reactions to Disabilities,
the authors state that accommodations can include:
- Flexible work schedules for a spouse or partner to fulfill
caregiving duties
- Changes in lifestyle patterns to increase comfort or reduce
fatigue
- Materials and aids to enhance daily functioning, such as
adapted clothing, eating utensils, and large-print books
- Adapted architecture, such as wider doorways, handrails,
ramps, lowered countertops, stairway lifts, adapted public
bathrooms, and accessible parking
- Communication devices, such as adapted telephones,
communication boards, computers, and Braille readers and writers
- Interactions that support community participation, such as
bus drivers who announce stops, docents who are specially trained to
assist museum visitors, and hotel employees who offer assistance
- Accommodations and equipment in airports, taxicabs, buses,
trains, hotels, and tourist attractions, such as wheel chairs,
lowered water fountains, lifts, and ramps.
Using our ability
We have used our ability already to become accessible. My first
memory of how Davies’ was becoming more accessible was when Julilia
stepped up to the pulpit and was ecstatic and very grateful to
Nathan for installing the wooden hand rails on either side of this
pulpit.
It really is the simplest of things that are the easiest to fix. In
the bathroom, the door holders are located lower than they were
before the renovation. That was a simple change. We have large order
of service booklets. We do offer assistive listening devices, more
than one I might add.
We, at Davies, can use our ability to:
Consider a new floor plan for Coffee hour, one which allows ample
space for those who use wheelchairs and walkers to safely and
quickly munch on goodies. It seems so simple that the arrangement of
couches and chairs and where the coffee is located and where the
design makes it very welcoming to visitors who are able to walk and
turn around easy. Yet for someone who is not able to move so quickly
it may look extremely uninviting. Perhaps spreading the drinks and
the coffee to another part of the lounge would make it easier for
those to partake of food and drink. And what of the fireplace
especially as we start the winter season? I wonder if there is a
better accessibility option.
We, at Davies, can use our ability to:
Evaluate the entry and exit doors in the building. In this building we
have one door that is handicap accessible. Fortunately it is the
front door which is welcoming.. Yet, if there is a fire in the
kitchen the RE wing would have to exit through the side doors. At
this present moment, the bars in the center of that door pose a risk
to harming the children and teachers. A wheelchair cannot get
through due to the panic bars. And if a person in a wheelchair was
trying to get through, that person would have to take more time to
get through. The bar in the center could possible become a hazard
for the children and teachers to run into.
We, at Davies, can use our ability to:
Redesign how we handle small group and committee meetings. Do not assume
that everyone can hear you without a mic. Which is more awkward,
using a mic, or not being able to engage in the meeting because
every other word that is said is hard to make out due to your
hearing? Or perhaps having personal listening devices available
during meetings and classes. Here’s another concern that is with
impairment especially sight. Many meetings are held at night at the
church. Perhaps using old and new technology is virtually free and
cheap schedule conference calls for regular meetings. Do meetings
need to be in person?
Enjoy the giving of your accessibility
I love a common saying among the older electricians at the various
jobs I’ve been on. They would say, Angel do something, even it’s
wrong. Do something even if it’s wrong. Flies in the face of anyone
who’s a perfectionist or has a problem doing things twice before
getting it right. But take a moment to consider the statement. Get
off your butt and do something. Chances are it may not be perfect
and quite frankly as you’re doing the work you will figure the best
way to get it done. There will be false starts and obstacles in our
way as we journey to creating inclusiveness in our church.
We are all humans and want an inclusive community and congregation
Accessibility ties in with furthering our vision of being
multicultural and creating diversity among the members.
When the congregation wanted to confront the issue of lack of
minorities, especially African Americans in the church, many
believed at first that it was a huge insurmountable task. But we
started small. We took those first steps to becoming more diverse.
We later moved to the Welcoming Congregation. Including our gay,
lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender brothers and sisters into our
fold. Maybe I am the only one who sees this wonderful destiny for
this congregation. This congregation has done outstanding in the
past on social issues. Helping and sometimes leading in the movement
to desegregate Prince George’s County. Conducting the Adopt-A-Road
for more than 15 years. Religiously giving to the Oxon Hill Food
Pantry every third Sunday of the month.
A game changing church that has an impact on the community. Rev.
John said it a few weeks ago. When I hear this phrase, I realize
that we are leading this diversity movement. We are ahead of the
game. In fact, we have gone around twice, won all bets, and are
about to take the house.
We are living and breathing diversity at this church. We are the
case study. Out of thousands of churches in the United States, in
the world, we are doing unique work here. We have black, white,
mixed,. We have young and old. We have conservatives and liberals.
We have gay and straight. We have able-bodied and ably-challenged.
And the church is still alive. Davies is still standing. We are a
living testament to a rewarding human experience. We are the
trendsetters who are adjusting our attitudes, focusing our
attention, and using our abilities, to create accessibility and
truly becoming a welcoming, inclusive congregation. Let us continue
to bear witness to this unique opportunity. In the words of
President Elect Obama “Let’s get to work.”
Oh, back to the story. What did Mom decide to make? What would you
have made?
And with that I would like to bring Jessica Milstead, a member of
the Accessibility Taskforce to talk about the progress they have
been making. (After service would be a perfect opportunity for you
inquire more about helping)
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