Enrichment #3

For my third enrichment I went to Tammy's talk in the chapel.  I was able to get most of the cross country team to go with me, which was great.  It was good team bonding.  Tammy's talk covered many areas. The team and I learned a lot from her talk.

Before the talk, I had a preconceived idea what it meant to be disabled.  I thought they were in cable of doing normal people stuff.  They were somehow not able to function in normal society and needed to be watched and taken care of.  To me they used to seem like a burden on other people.  They needed to be taken care of and babied.  I used to think they were subordinate to normally functioning human beings.

Going into the talk I thought it was going to be a comedy act or some sort of improv act.  The way the fliers were written and the way people talked about it gave me that idea.  She always would be introduced as Tammy who does improv and is a comedian.  So, going into the talk I expected an improv act intergrading what it would feel like to be disabled.  I thought it might be a comedy talking about disabilities in an educational manner.

During the talk, I realized it was going to be nothing like what I had expected.  Her talk was more of an interview style, very professional, with a Q and A after.  I found this method of relaying information more serious and emotional.  Tammy was able to make connections to me and the rest of the audience with her analogies and stories about prom and dating.  Those analogies kept my attention and kept the talk lively and exciting as well as emotional.

Her talk taught me everyone has equal value and no one is superior to anyone else.  I learned that those with disabilities still have many capabilities and things to offer.  She also taught me that no one is perfect everyone has their own disabilities whatever it may be.  This really stuck a cord with me.  From the talk I walked away with a new idea of what it means to be disabled.  I know see them as equals and no longer a burden to those who take care of them.  They have just as much to offer the world as anyone else.  I also learned not to baby people with disabilities.

The talk was very educational, as well as, inspiring.  I am glad I went and think Tammy was a perfect person to have talk for disabilities week.  I had the opportunity to meet her more later on that week and enjoyed every monument of it.