Students in “Attitudes, Power, and Oppression: Introduction to Disability Studies” this past summer session engaged in a rich discussion about the reach of person-centered language to describe people with disabilities in Texas, particularly outside English-speaking communities.
The course instructor, doctoral student Elaine Eisenbaum, decided to let students explore this question through an unusual final project: a public service announcement designed to promote person-centered language and inclusion within the Spanish-speaking community
Students Billy Hrncir, Jill Waldron, and Stephanie Pavliska set out to work. They researched current Spanish terminology, met with community members, wrote a video script, and recruited volunteers from the community to star in the video. After five weeks of hard work, they had a final product they felt very proud of, and which they presented during the last day of class to an audience that included the video stars and their families. Students are planning now to distribute the public service announcement as an educational tool.
Watch the Spanish and English versions of the video on the School’s YouTube channel.