PsychSoc, CSSC embraces inclusivity through Project Diverse-ABILITY

By Mary Dawn Santos

Promoting inclusivity for People With Special Needs (PWSN), the UST Psychology Society (PsychSoc), in collaboration with the College of Science Student Council (CSSC), launched Project Diverse-ABILITY on November 23 at the Central Laboratory Auditorium.

The event aimed to humanize the stories of the PWSN minority, explore solutions on making safe spaces for them, dismantle myths associated with being Deaf, and provide a workshop on basic Filipino Sign Language (FSL) to bridge communication gaps between hearing and Deaf communities.

BEING SOMEONE’S CHAIR

Zendy Victoria Sue Valencia, a licensed professional teacher, addressed the prevalence of ableism in today’s society and the importance of having these conversations among students.

“We live in a society that demands them to be normal all the time,” she remarked, urging a shift in discourse away from demanding disabled people to conform to the norms of non-disabled individuals to ask how the community can support them.

She likened this support to “being the chair,” encouraging attendees to ask and offer help to people with special needs.

“If you can be the chair or the cane, you can be the change. Aside from being the chair, be the voice and be the gesture,” she stated.

Disabilities do not just involve the physical aspect but also one’s mental state. Valencia invited everyone to reflect on their own brokenness and the solutions they consider to address this.

She also expressed how healing and unconditionally accepting oneself can lead to becoming an instrument of grace to others.

Her talk ended with the Dominican Prayer, a prayer of gratitude to God for completeness.

“We are Thomasians and [we] believe that change for disability awareness and rights are not only rooted in our initiatives, but also in the Word of God,” she stated.

In an open forum that followed, Valencia was able to share her experiences and insights regarding the challenges and the constant ableism the PWSN community experiences in the society, such as how their work is more difficult as their body is different from their colleagues and institutional ableism wherein architectures of buildings are inaccessible for them.

Media representation was also tackled in the forum where Valencia seeked more visibility while also avoiding any form of mockery.

WAVE OF HANDS

The President of the United Deaf Association of Caloocan City (UDACC) Inc., Rosanna Castro, shared her experiences as a Deaf individual, debunked myths, and taught basic FSL to the audience.

Castro also explained that the use of hearing aids depends on the condition of the Deaf individual, noting that those who lost hearing between ages 16 and 20 years old may use them, while those born deaf cannot. She shared how she once tried hearing aids, but found it was not for her as it caused headaches and difficulty in hearing still.

She also discussed offensive terms to avoid when addressing the Deaf community, including “deaf-mute” or “pipi” as it is a form of mockery to them; “deaf-dumb” as they are intelligent and capable; and “hearing-impaired” as their ears are not “broken,” rather, they simply can’t hear.

Castro also talked about the pathological perspective towards the Deaf community and how they are viewed as sick, intellectually inferior, incapable, and culturally deprived individuals.

In contrast, she remarked from the sociocultural perspective, they share no difference with the hearing people — possessing vast potential, and a unique culture as well.

The differences between Hearing and Deaf cultures were also tackled, such as how instead of clapping, they wave their hands to express appreciation.

Small slips with the basic FSL alphabet were passed around as Castro demonstrated to the audience the proper form and way to sign them. She also encouraged the attendees to continue practicing FSL as they can use it to communicate with a Deaf person.

CALL ON INCLUSIVITY

PsychSoc Asst. Secretary and Diverse-ABILITY Project Head, Mikaela Gabrielle Malinis, emphasized during her opening remarks how policies are not enough to fill the gap in understanding the PWSN community. The event was a call for a collective action in making safe spaces for PWSN.

Malinis’ project started as an advocacy ignited when she studied Psychology for Exceptional Children. This inspired her to propose the initiative and collaborate with the CSSC.

Looking ahead, Malinis also shared other plans to expand the event’s inclusivity efforts on campus.

“Sa Psychology Week, we plan to tap into other areas of Psychology, including na rin itong Disability Psychology at saka ibang Psychology fields,” she shared in an interview.

Malinis also called on the student body to embrace diversity as it is part of the Thomasian values.

“Being able to speak out about these kinds of things and being able to advocate for not only the PWSN [but] all other kinds of diverse abilities of people helps communities be more inclusive and really be diverse,” she expressed.

The program ended with a surprise raffle for all pre-registered participants, where three winners won tote bags.

Photos by: Bernadette Padron