Inclusion Starts with All of Us

Perhaps you’ve been out around town and seen a group of adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, like autism, Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, and thought, ‘Should I interact? What do I say? Is it okay to say anything at all?’ Maybe you have a loved one with an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD) and you worry about how they’ll integrate into the community, make friends, have relationships and get the most out of life, just like any of us. Those thoughts are all completely valid. For us to have an openly welcoming society, we have to start by acknowledging that our differences are what make our community strong, unique and inclusive.

The Kaleidoscope Community Adult Program, which has expanded to Walnut Creek through Easterseals Northern California, is a place where adults ages 18 and up with I/DD can work on independent living skills like money management, grocery shopping and laundry, and engage in recreational activities like yoga classes, golf and going to the movies. Whatever we’re doing, we’re doing it outside of a facility – we’re out in the community, where everyone is welcome to enjoy their lives. I’ve been in this field for 17 years, and I’m thrilled to be part of this program that brings fulfillment, friendship and independence to people.

The program’s name says it all: community. It’s about bringing these adults together to try new experiences, to learn and engage in their various interests, and to explore and meet new people in their own hometowns. Whether that’s gardening with another non-profit, volunteering at animal shelters or doing survival skills classes in the state parks, our participants are active in the communities where they live and with those who also live there. We go out in groups and people come up to the participants knowing their names, shaking their hands and chatting with them like old friends. That only happens because our fellow community members have taken the step to integrate themselves into the lives of our participants.

And, through all our outings and partnerships with local stores and restaurants, it’s inspiring to see more businesses wanting us to visit to offer pre-vocational learning sessions, or tour their facilities, or have the group meet their staff. Public transit, park rangers, grocery stores, bowling alleys – those who welcome us are all strengthening the community in the best way possible and do so authentically. I know firsthand how this program has truly become part of the greater Bay Area’s journey, and I’ve seen how the participants in the program inspire, befriend, educate and integrate with the communities wherever we go. We’ve been welcomed in a way that shows how our goal of building a more inclusive world for people with disabilities is in action.

Before I started working here, I was admittedly somewhat nervous around people with I/DD because I didn’t know what to say or how to act. But working here has shown me what inclusion really means, and I want everyone to feel like I do now, not like I did before. Being so present in the community has done that, and it brings me a ton of joy. And for parents and caregivers of those with I/DD, like Frances, whose son, Eric, has been with our program for years, she can’t remember a single family walk where someone hasn’t waved to her son. “We’ll go to a restaurant, and he’ll walk up to people, and they engage back because they know him,” Frances shared with me. “The program doesn’t just teach the participants how to interact within the community – they also teach the community how to interact with people with developmental disabilities, our children, our loved ones. I’m tremendously hopeful that our community at large is becoming a far more inclusive and caring place for everyone.”

As this program continues to grow, I welcome local businesses, teachers, non-profits, public servants, job seekers and others to reach out to us so we can all learn from each other and make the Bay Area a place where we all share a collective journey of growth, friendship, and kindness. In a word: community.

To learn more about the Kaleidoscope Community Adult Program, visit www.esnorcal.org.