During my time of working in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), I have failed to explore other marginalized groups and identities outside the realm of race and ethnicity (which was a primary focus of work). After being introduced to my partner organization, Can Play as part of my fellowship, my eyes are now open to a whole new spectrum of what inclusivity can be.
There are two types of specific programming at Can Play: ‘Courage’, which focuses on children living with physical, cognitive and emotional challenges, while the ‘Opportunity' side focuses on children with financial barriers to play. Struggles unfortunately don’t just come in one piece, rather there are many struggles one can identify with. That is where the idea of intersecting the concept of people with complex abilities living in underserved communities came from. Not everyone has the privilege of obtaining the proper resources to set them up for success and not everyone has the privilege to perform both physically and behaviorally to the socially deemed “normal”. My goal for this blog post is to help others see what it is like for someone to experience both of those barriers and to shed light on intersectionality as it is not talked about enough.
A person’s childhood sets the tone for the rest of their lives. Children reach their full potential when they receive proper nurture and care.
A person’s childhood sets the tone for the rest of their lives. Children reach their full potential when they receive proper nurture and care. Human interaction and healthy relationships during a child’s cognitive development are vital. This is especially important for children who are neurodiverse because they require special care and attention to detail in their everyday lives. Typically, children can receive their social needs by going to school. It is where they are introduced into society outside of the comfort of their own homes and families. They are able to learn proper behaviors and language in the classroom while having the ability to learn to socialize with other children.
Unlike most children, those with disabilities have more of a barrier to perform these learned behaviors in a timely manner. However, if they are given the opportunity to learn through adapted programs that allow them more time and detailed learning to perform everyday tasks, they would be able to perform to their fullest potential. Children without any barriers to play have twenty times more of the opportunity to participate in activities like art, dance, sports, and other recreational activities. This nearly doubles for those living in rural communities.
In rural-dominated areas like Iowa, there is a lack of resources for children with barriers to learn and participate in active performing activities
In rural-dominated areas like Iowa, there is a lack of resources for children with barriers to learn and participate in active performing activities–think about the fun activities you did in P.E. class when you were in grade school. Unlike areas considered more developed in contemporary society, there often is a lack of resources and facilities in places like rural Iowa. Moreover, there is a lack of resources and representation of programs geared toward children with disabilities.
According to co-founder, Melissa Clarke-Wharff, sixty percent of Can Play's children deal with financial disparities due to their parents struggling to obtain childcare resources and find affordable programs to enroll their children in. Can Play brings adapted and no cost recreational programs to our communities by removing barriers to play. With these programs, children with barriers to partake in normal childhood activities are able to be provided with those proper resources, with coaches and volunteers who are there to make a positive impact on all of their students.
Intersectionality is a common issue that affects people’s lives everyday and is often overlooked. My experience with Can Play has shown me that you can be more than one thing and conquer more than one obstacle if you have the right community and resources. Like the people that we are able to positively impact every day, my partnership with Can Play has also impacted me in ways that I would have never imagined.