Called To Be A Leader
June 13th, 2009 by Amanda GainSeemingly unimportant moments, those that last for only minutes or sometimes only moments, can occasionally cling to the forefront of one’s memory. A single sentence spoken by a complete stranger may stay with you for a life time. Bumping into someone on the way to work or watching a movie with a friend might be just as clear in your mind today as it was ten years ago. Such a moment occurred for one man when his mother invited an African American into their home during a time when doing so wasn’t very acceptable. She taught her children that by treating him hospitably, they would be showing the rest of their community that he belonged, despite the difference in color of his skin. The rest of the story in this man’s blog relates his experience as a child with a more current problem of injustice. One of the reasons people with intellectual disabilities aren’t treated as if they belong is because the majority of our population does not see them being treated as if they belong. The moment children begin school, they see their peers with disabilities being separated into different classrooms. In high school, those students see their peers eating at a separate lunch table, going to a separate prom, and taking a separate school bus. The average teenager will become desensitized to the word “retarded” by the time they leave middle school, especially since the term has become a normal part of the vocabulary of popular comedies like Pineapple Express and The Hangover. This will change though. All of this will change if leadership of people with intellectual disabilities, along with those who support them are nourished and encouraged to stand up for what they believe in.
Imagine if you grew up in a house with a neighbor who had an intellectual disability. As a child, you wouldn’t have been affected by the media enough yet to know that being different is supposed to be scary and intimidating. So, most likely, you would have frolicked and played with your neighbor just like he or she was any other kid. Wouldn’t you assume that someone who grew up with such a background would be much more likely to feel comfortable around people with intellectual disabilities when he or she was older? Of course. The same thing is true of those who have family members with intellectual disabilities. Why, you might ask? They feel more comfortable because they’ve seen that those with intellectual disabilities can and do belong.
Fortunately, many of those who’ve had the opportunity to witness the amazing gifts of those who are different from themselves often make the perfect leaders. They are able to recognize the qualities they possess that can best help them to lead others. But they also have the ability to recognize the potential in other people as well. For this reason, I think that people with intellectual disabilities make amazing leaders. I’ve never felt more loved or accepted than I have when I’ m hanging out with my friends at Misericordia. They appreciate the life that’s been given to them and aren’t afraid to admire the life that’s been given to others. However, leaders need someone for them to lead. This is where it gets tricky. There are many wonderful leaders with intellectual disabilities who serve as advocates for others like them, but what about those people outside of their community who just wont listen? This is where individuals standing up for what they truly care about come into play. If we treat people with disabilities as if they are leaders, as if they belong, not just in front of our Best Buddies chapter but in front of anyone and everyone, they will be recognized as such.
Last year, I went with a few of my friends from Loyola to our school’s soccer game, which is hosted right outside of Misericordia. Many of them have no experience with people with intellectual disabilities at all, nor do they show any interest in doing so. They view my position in Best Buddies as a service role. But when I saw some of my friends from Misericordia watching the game as well, I excitedly ran up to them as I would have done with any friend. My other friends hesitantly followed after me with puzzled looks on their faces. As they listened to me gossip and chat with each of the people I ran into, they began to join in, asking questions, making comments and enjoying their opportunity to meet new people. Only after they could observe the way I interacted with my friends with disabilities could they understand that they enjoyed companionship just like everyone else. Moments like this one are always the most encouraging to me. I love establishing a community between people who already know how important social inclusion is, but teaching someone who’s been left in the dark about how amazing our differences can be is undescribable. This is one of our callings. We have to be leaders for those who don’t yet have a voice that can be heard over all the arguing and noise of our age. We have to be there when that noise dies down. We have to be there to step down from our leadership and give the spot light to someone who’s deserved it their entire lives.
Tags: Leadership