October is Inclusion Celebration Month

What is Inclusion? Why do we embrace inclusion?

Each one of us wishes to be included and loved. No matter our abilities, color of our skin, what language we speak, we all one to be included. And why not, after all, there is no world rule saying, we can’t be. Everyone wants to be accepted. Let’s make that happen. Let’s start a movement, an inclusive movement. Every special needs child is yearning to be included and we will make that happen with one voice- Inclusion. Inclusion revolution starts here at Sunshine Projects.

We have a strong voice to make all things happen for the sake of our children. Sunshine Projects would like to welcome everyone here and experience the daily fun classes everyone attends. We created our program with all abilities in mind. We hire instructors who have a special heart and understanding of our community and we want to make sure that they, too share Sunshine Projects vision of inclusion so that no participant is left behind. This means, the instructor will make sure each participant is given the chance to speak and be able to make suggestions if needed. In addition, we listen to everyone’s wishes and make sure we attend to them. As a result, we have opened member led classes and anyone who volunteers to teach or host is welcome. Some participants feel they are ready to be leaders and we are very happy to open this opportunity for them. We provide support that they need and make sure that they receive a positive experience from the work they do. We encourage leadership and independence by allowing them to create their own program to share with their peers.

Over these many months of quarantine and Zoom classes have become the norm, we also have observed many of our participants have blossomed and many great friendships have formed.

Anyone who’s new is warmly welcomed by our very friendly participants and immediately feels he or she belongs here. The shy type has no chance to be shy anymore. Everyone here connects so quickly and is always so fun to be watching them interact. Being the person behind the scenes witnessing all your children blossom, I feel I’m the luckiest person alive. I want to thank you all for trusting me with your children. The days I spend with all of them is priceless. Inclusion is alive and we want to embrace it, practice it and spread it. Every child with a differing ability wants to be a part of every activity, of every celebration, of every friendship of every community. Let us preach inclusion. Let us teach our children the beauty of inclusion. I always love saying, “The more, the merrier!” And this is true, you cannot have a party if you are alone! So let’s all stand up to inclusion.

With inclusion in mind, I would like to thank the Arc Of Montgomery for trusting me with the 2020 Community Inclusion Award. It is my pleasure to share this award to the beautiful community of special needs children and families. This community thought me to be resilient and to stand up for what I believe in and that is each child with a differing ability has a place in any community and if given the chance that they can be as successful as anyone can be. They too want to be accepted for who they are and they want to be celebrated as anyone wants to be celebrated. It is not hard to open doors to a special child. Give them a chance like you want to have a chance in life and if you do, there will be lots of smile, lots of love in return. Everything will start from there, your life will change for the better. And it is going to be so rewarding and so life changing that you want to share your experience. Inclusion starts from you. Include one child with special needs, life will blossom, you will have a friend forever.