Inclusion: The Road to Humanity

Inclusion comes in many forms, and we are introduced to this practice very early on in life. In preschool, our parents and teachers encourage us to involve or play with the shy student; it may be adapting an activity so a disabled or mobile-challenged person can take part; or it may be ensuring everybody has access to basic human rights. The reality is, the concept of inclusion has been rapidly deteriorating in the pedagogy of the modern world. It is important to understand the positive impact inclusion can have on someone who is in one way or another, prone to exclusion.

One of the most beautiful things I have ever heard about inclusion, support, and humanity in general, came from my girlfriend, and was later reaffirmed by her mother. She said, “At the end of the day we are all human. We are all one and the same. Take away everything that gives us ‘identity’, and we all identify as members of the human race, sharing one earth for one lifetime”. In effect, every human being deserves the right to be treated the same. Their ability to walk, talk, hear, or think should not condemn them to a life of exclusion and dissatisfaction.

I soon found out that this belief struck closer to home for her and her family. Her cousin, Adil Rafiq, who tragically passed away on December 25th, 2018 after a lifelong battle with muscular dystrophy, realized early on that Pakistan and other developing countries provided basic human rights, but their accessibility was limited. Adil decided to get involved with a foundation that was dedicated to making things fair and equal for all: Ehed Foundation.

As a victim of accessibility exclusion himself, he quickly became a huge supporter of the foundation, even developing a Facebook page to drive support. One of the things he did was create a documentary, initially made as a school project, in which he visited hospitals and storefronts and attempted to enter them with his wheelchair. Everywhere he went, he either had to be lifted out of his chair and over the curb, or use the wheelchair access ramp in the back.

When he asked the store owner why he didn’t put the ramp in the front, he was told that it was “an inconvenience for his customers”. Other storefront owners refused to comment when being confronted for their inhumanity. But perhaps one of the most disappointing responses came from a store owner who said “It was a mistake on our part, but when you return next time we will have a ramp and you will be able to do your shopping”. Sadly, the owner’s words were empty, as Adil would pass away before he was able to return to the storefront. To this day, the store remains inaccessible to disabled patrons.

One of the most shocking revelations from this documentary however, was the fact that most hospitals in Karachi are not wheelchair accessible. The fact that the majority of people leave hospitals in, or arrive in a wheelchair but are forced to adapt to the inaccessible hospital is just despicable.

However, physically disabled are not the only people who suffer discrimination. Mental illness and mentally handicapped people are frequently left out of things, a fact which I have seen myself as a camp counsellor and teacher. The positive benefits of inclusion on a mentally ill or disabled person is a humbling experience. Every week, before our campers piled off the bus with the explosive energy that we adults only dream of, we would have a staff meeting discussing the challenges and disabilities of each camper and how that may affect the activities we conduct throughout the week. Over the course of the summer, I counselled many students with fears and anxiety. Perfectly happy kids on the outside, their anxieties, fears, and behavioural issues kept them from taking part in certain activities.

I remember one camper having a severe case of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, a condition in which the person exhibits angry and irritable moods, as well as argumentative and vindictive behaviors, and hostility and disobedience towards authority figures. I was informed that the camper became hostile when in unfamiliar territory and without an understanding of what was going on, as well as when confronted by a peer.

Over the course of that week, I carefully monitored activities and de-escalated things when students began to tease or antagonize the camper. Furthermore, during the campfire, I employed another counsellor to watch my campers, while I sat next to him and ensured he understood what was about to happen. By the time the student was picked up by his parents, the fear and trepidation in his eyes had been replaced with pure joy, and he had a camp experience he would never forget.

There was one experience however, that brought me to tears and completely changed my outlook on the importance of ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity for a full experience. The counselor in question was an avid rock climber and high ropes expert, and loved helping people master the climbing wall or ropes course. One such camper had always wanted to try climbing, but had a crippling fear of heights. Rock climbing was one of the last activities of the week, and he had been very apprehensive leading up to the event.

Once he was harnessed in, the anxiety began to set in. He got about ten feet up the wall and froze, paralyzed with fear. The counselor attempted to encourage him, but soon called another instructor to run the activity, harnessed himself in and joined the young boy on the wall. Over the next thirty minutes, the counsellor spoke to the camper, encouraging him, climbing that wall foot by foot. To hear him finally ring the bell and to see the look of exuberance on his face when he came back to the ground was one of the most humbling experiences I have ever witnessed.

Both these experiences and stories taught me an important lesson about humanity. Life is made up of moments, big and small. There are moments worth chasing, experiences worth having, and everybody should have the same chance at having those experiences. If that means a little extra work, then it is a small price to pay for a disabled person to experience the validation that is sadly absent in many facets of our society.

It is important to understand the positive impact inclusion can have on someone who is in one way or another, prone to exclusion. The next time you go outside, remember to speak for the voiceless, stand up for those who can not, and encourage when nobody else will. The road to a peaceful and fair world is a long and arduous path, but it is our responsibility to always push the boundaries of what is possible, and what some would think necessary, to make the world a better place for all.

Author: Morgan Paquette

Editors: Christie Vu & Jasmine Hyder