In the era of man vs. machine: There is an imperative need to get back to the basics of using our minds and hands to create
In today’s world we are accustomed to the technological advances of common household items such as our televisions, radios, ovens and the likes. There have been enormous improvements in how we view and hear entertainment. As you all may be familiar with how we make our way through the streets plugged in to our IPods or MP3; as we sing the tunes to our favorite songs (which is part of my own daily routine). We have developed a new found anxiety in the need to be reachable always through the invention of cell phones, email and other social media outlets. We now read more and more articles, newspapers and books then ever before through some sort of electronic device. Yet we very seldom ask ourselves what ingenuity and skills go in to making such technologies unless you yourself are the creator. But the truth is we are all creators and capable of making useful pieces of equipment, devices and our own bits of technology. I learned this through my own experience of needing to be visible.
Throughout a large part of my undergraduate career, I began to realize the sheer difference of my size and everyone else around me. The fact that I am smaller person became ever so apparent as I made my way through my college hallways, down NYC streets, or even while waiting at a bus stop. I would get the recurrent response of “I did not see you there”. For the first two years of school I felt invisible. I feared going out on my own because I thought I would be hit by a car, a bus, or bicyclists on a daily basis. One day heading back from the main campus of school to the dormitories I was inches away from being hit by a taxi and then a red four door car. It was at that point that I knew I had to do something to make my self more visible and safe in my every day travels (indoors and outdoors). The bicycle lights that I was adhering to my chair wasn’t working. My self and my therapist at the time drew out a sketch of an ideal solution, a standing lamp of some sort. By the grace of god really there was a place that created such adaptive equipment for people with special needs like me—much of which is created through eco-friendly material like cardboard that was not commercially available.
The place was called Adaptive Design Association located in the heart of the garment district (West 36th btw. 8th and 9th). Within weeks my first wheelchair lamp was built, I began to take my friends up on offers of going out at night which I frequently shied away from before. I began to travel all over with my head held high because I felt assured that I was safe because I was seen. I was so moved by all the work going on at Adaptive Design and how having the lamp made changed my own life, that I began volunteering to create, design and decorate equipment. The reward of creating a standing chair, cafeteria bench, tray, play pieces for someone knowing that it will help children, adolescents, adults at home, work, school or socially is a part of what keeps me connected to ADA. I would hope that after reading this blog that you too will realize your ability to create with just the power of your minds and hands.
