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Jazlyn's Page #Unifiedgeneration

Hi! My name is Jazlyn Young. I live in Helena, Montana but I currently attend school at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. This year I am working as a Resident Advisor on campus, which gives me a great opportunity to connect with a lot of students and be a mentor.

I attended Capital High School which is where I originally got involved with Special Olympics. I was a Unified Partner for basketball and one of the coaches for our athletics team. In addition to volunteering for multiple events, including summer state games, I was on the state level of the Youth Activation Committee last year. One of my favorite events to participate in is the Polar Plunge. This is something that I have done for the past two years and plan to do again this year.

This year I am involved in a new program at MSU called LIFE Scholars. It promotes the idea that learning is for everyone and that no one should be excluded from the right to an education and college experience. Each Scholar is matched with a Peer Partner who supports them with classes and getting involved with campus activities.

My inclusion HERO is my teacher and mentor Terri Norman.

Terri Norman is my inclusion hero for multiple reasons. She is the one who got me involved in Special Olympics in the first place. Whenever I have a new opportunity, she is always one of the first to support me. One of the most important lessons she has taught me, is to speak up and ask. Without her I would not have experienced multiple amazing opportunities and gained several new friendships. She has opened my world up to an extraordinary group of individuals and showed me that new and unknown things can change your life for the better.

Inclusion in the Entertainment Industry

There are many different ways that this series does a good job representing inclusion in the entertainment industry. One of the main ways is by having lead characters with disabilities.

One of the ways they accomplish inclusion is by having the characters that are deaf played by actors who are also deaf. This helps give the show authenticity. When it comes to Hollywood, characters with disabilities are most often played by individuals without disabilities.

Another extremely important way the show represents inclusion is by not showing that being deaf is a burden but instead something that makes individuals who they are. Instead of having the characters who are deaf change and adapt, the people around them learned ASL. This was not only the characters but the actors as well. By showing that being deaf is not a burden the show takes inclusion one step further.

One of the reasons that I consider Switched at Birth to do a good job with inclusion is that they really go into the culture and lives of individuals who are deaf. By diving further than just surface level into the characters lives, viewers can truly understand their lives and who each of them are. Viewers get to know the characters as a person and not just for being deaf.

Finding Dory is an animated movie that features many lovable characters that each have their own disability. The major lesson in this movie is not that someone has to overcome or "deal" with a disability but that it is a part of their life that allows them to do things their own unique way. In short disabilities are not the same as limitations.

Throughout the movie, different characters are shown believing they are incapable of helping. The other characters work with them and help them understand how important they really are. This builds a sense of community that is needed for true inclusion.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a celebrity that supports Special Olympics and the mission of inclusion. He can be seen standing up for his beliefs on social media.

Overall, Hollywood has gotten better about increasing diversity and inclusion. One of the main things they still need to work on is casting people with disabilities. The nonprofit RespectAbility is working towards opening up more opportunities and fighting stigmas. They even have a Hollywood toolkit. Another thing I read about was the Easterseals Disability Film challenge. It is for filmmakers with and without disabilities to create something that showcases the many forms of disability. The winners gain access to the bigger entertainment industry.

~MARCH~

Capital High School chose to do a respect week. Each day had a different theme/ activity with Wednesday being the Respect Rally.

Capital High School had their own stickers designed to hand out at the Respect Rally. The design was also used for shirts for teachers and students.

One of the most popular activities at the rally was the parachute. It was extremely fun watching all the students hang out together and play games.

There was also a lot of students that played lightning together. I loved getting the chance to see how competitive some of the students got and how much fun it was for everyone.

One of my favorite parts about attending this Respect Rally was the students filling out the "I choose to include because......" cards. There are so many different reasons that people choose to include and hanging them up on the wall really showcased that.

Although I was not able to attend, Montana State University set up a table on campus. They had students sign a banner pledging inclusion and to end the R word.

LIFE Scholars partnered with other on campus groups to offer a showing of the movie Intelligent Lives which correlates with their mission and beliefs.

APRIL

One of my favorite activities at State Summer Games is the Healthy Habits Traveling Squads. Volunteers go around to different attendees and talk to them about different aspects of health. It is a fun and quick way to learn.

This year I also got the opportunity to learn more about the Unified P.E. program that is happening at Capital High School. There is a lot of room for this program to grow. It is always entertaining to hear about all the different activities that the class gets to participate in such as skiing and going to local gyms.

In Helena, Montana there are quite a few local gyms. In the past some of them have actually done events to help raise money for Special Olympics.

Family

JUNE : Summer Inclusion Ideas

There are many ways to be inclusive over the summer

One way that I am being inclusive this summer is by speaking on a panel with one of the LIFE Scholars from Montana State University.

Also, one of the best ways to remain inclusive over the summer is to make sure you are always involving others around you and stepping out of you comfort zone. Being the first one to make an effort to include someone can make a big difference, whether it is at work, camp, or any other activity.

July: Summer Music

I -LOVE- country music and one of my favorite songs I have been listening to this summer is called Living by Dierks Bentley. This song has a great message and is just fun to sing along with.

There are a lot of ways that artists can #choosetoinclude!

This video talks about using music and social media as a way to spread inclusion. Artists have a huge influence on the general public, and they can use that to spread messages that they believe in. If an artist believes in something and promotes it, society is more likely to join in as well.

There are so many different songs that have been created promoting inclusion, respect, and spreading change. Some of these songs include Born This Way by Lady Gaga, Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw, and Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson.

August: History

Throughout history and even today, there are many events, organizations and even individuals that can be said to have promoted the inclusion of different people. Some of these are more well known than others, but that does not mean that they are any less important. The acts of inclusion that stood out to me the most had to do with individuals with disabilities and individuals of different races. Segregation is most often talked about when it comes to racial discrimination.

One group that has promoted inclusion is the Boy Scouts of America. They were founded in 1910 and the first Chief Scout Executive had a disability. Since then, they have continued working on inclusion. They have braille handbooks, audio recordings, and captioned videos. The boy scouts have a disabilities awareness merit badge that allows scouts to gain new knowledge and experiences that could change their attitude towards individuals with disabilities. Even in my small hometown, there are boy scouts that have disabilities. This goes to show that they are still a movement for inclusion.

A big event that promoted inclusion was Brown v. Board of Education. This helped end segregation in public schools. It ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. The ruling helped pave the way for other acts of inclusion.

There are many other movements that helped to promote inclusion. One of them that I found interesting was the Social Inclusion Initiative. Different countries have their own versions of this. No matter how far inclusion comes, there will always be more that can be done.

September: Back to School

One thing that my school does to create an inclusive environment is LIFE Scholars. This year the program has more peer partners and more scholars. This year one of the scholars is living on campus!! Scholars are taking a wide variety of classes from public speaking, cooking, and even acting. Along with classes peer partners also help scholars engage socially on campus.

"Created by college students for college students, the club seeks to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and to build a more accepting world for all."

Cats for a Cause is a campus club that supports Special Olympics, Eagle Mount, and other organizations around town.

October: Sports

Some of my favorite sports memories are from high school. I was a cheerleader for all four years and for two of them I was a captain. I got to cheer with some of my best friends! We traveled for games and made once in a lifetime memories. I was able to choreograph a routine with a friend. Spending multiple hours with a group of people almost everyday really brings you close together. We would paint signs, learn routines, and spend most Fridays under the stadium lights.

My varsity cheer coach is an amazing person who truly cares about each one of the people on the team and in her life. She was always encouraging us to be the best and supporting us in whatever we were doing. She is someone that I know I can still count on today if I ever needed anything.

I also have a lot of great sport memories from Special Olympics. I was a Unified player for basketball and helped coach athletics that same year. Some of my best memories were when we went to State Games for athletics and swimming. I drove down with one of my best friends. The drive to dinner was especially fun. Half the team was with me laughing as we drove around the round about multiple times because I had no idea where we were going and I had to follow the person in front. That whole weekend was filled with great memories from participating in sports to everything in between.

On top of participating in sports, I really enjoying being able to go and see everyone. I love seeing how the team grows and changes and being able to catch up with people I used to see all the time.

I believe that sports are a great way to connect people.

They allow for lifetime memories and friendships.

November: Technology

When creating accessible technology, I believe that it is important to involve individuals with disabilities. There is no better way to know how to make something accessible than by asking. Whenever I talk to someone that is using some form of technology, they always have at least one suggestion to make it more accessible to them.

I have gotten the chance to work with one of the LIFE Scholars who uses a communication device. It has been a great experience to learn how to use it along with her and see how it can be incorporated into everyday life. It has been really interesting to see that she is becoming more confident in talking knowing that she has a backup with the communication app on her phone. Just walking through campus and sitting in class, there are many different forms of technology that help improve the lives of students. This field is something that is continuously growing and changing.

December: Advice

The biggest piece of advice that I have is to never be afraid to step outside of your comfort zones. You never know where something will lead you. Without taking a risk and trying something new you could miss out on an amazing opportunity.

Never be afraid to ask for help. There will always be someone who knows a little more than you or is able to offer a new perspective. Asking for help is something that takes a lot of courage.

Always be genuine. People can tell if you are not being yourself. Everyone has something different to offer and there is no point in pretending to be someone you are not.

January: Inclusion Heroes

There are so many different people that I consider to be inclusion heroes. Everyday I see people become more accepting and welcoming to everyone that they encounter.

When it comes to well known people, one of my biggest inclusion heroes is Ellen DeGeneres. She promotes always being yourself and being kind to one another.

Everyone that is involved in making the world a more accepting and welcoming environment for all is an inclusion hero to me. Nothing will change if there are not many people supporting it.

February: Art

Art is a very expressive thing and there is so much that you can do with it. It is a very easy way to spread a message or belief. It is also a great way to just bring joy to others and do something that is loved.

When thinking of art that promotes inclusion, the first thing that caught my attention was the Chairs of Inclusion. It main purpose was to show that everyone was unique and deserved a seat at the table. I thought it was really cool that this was a collaboration piece and that it brought so many different people together.

March: Courage

Courage can be a hard thing to find, but having something that you are passionate about really helps. Inclusion is something that I am very passionate about. Looking back, there has been many instances where I was proud to promote inclusion. Having the courage to speak up and share your beliefs can be challenging. I know that for me it can sometimes be easier to stand up for others. Having a support system that has the same beliefs can help promote the courage within.

April: Fitness

Fitness is a very important part of living a healthy lifestyle. Living in Montana, it is pretty easy to get outdoors and find new things to do. I really enjoy hiking and exploring all the amazing places. I also really enjoying dancing as a way of staying active. Not only is it good exercise, but it is a great mood booster as well!

May: Community

Community can be defined in many different ways and there are many communities that people are a part of at any given time. I have different communities within school such as LIFE Scholars, Residence Life, classes, and friends outside of that. Family is also a very important community for me.

Some of the communities that I am a part of promote inclusion by offering a place where everyone can be themselves and participate in activities with each other. In LIFE Scholars, we went to a laser tag event. There was all different levels of skill and it was a great time to see everyone included and having a GREAT time!

June: Summer Fun

Trying new things can always be scary, but it is a great way to grow as a person.

Something that I really want to try this summer is paddle boarding. I have seen a lot of people do it and have heard its really fun, but have never tried it myself.

Special Olympics has helped reinforce the idea that it is okay to not be amazing at things the first time you try it. Special Olympics has also helped show me that there are people that are willing to help you and support you through things.

Credits:

Created with images by Simon - "ice glacier frozen" • Skitterphoto - "film movie cinema" • methodshop - "tv wall vintage" • geralt - "offer hand handful of" • Marion Michele - "untitled image" • Danielle Cerullo - "untitled image" • Raphaël Biscaldi - "untitled image" • Vicko Mozara - "untitled image" • Kari Shea - "untitled image" • Giammarco Boscaro - "untitled image" • sasint - "adventure backpack the bag" • Clay Banks - "untitled image" • Nathan Dumlao - "untitled image" • Aaron Burden - "Mobile photography has come a long way since my iPhone 3GS! My iPhone 8+ was delivered this weekend, so I decided to have some fun with it. Here are ten random images that I captured on my first weekend with my new phone." • Shane Rounce - "Pylon" • Volodymyr Hryshchenko - "orange sheets of paper lie on a green school board and form a chat bubble with three crumpled papers." • Jen Theodore - "Black and white tarot card with message "let your intuition guide you, you are what you have been looking for" is displayed, held in a woman's hand." • Jamie Street - "untitled image" • Jessica Podraza - "Women’s March on Chicago 2018" • Jasmine Waheed - "Cookie cutter heart" • Anna Kolosyuk - "untitled image" • Ben Mater - "Shot from March for Our Lives in Seattle, March 24, 2018. Donate at paypal.me/benmater" • Randalyn Hill - "untitled image" • Sheri Hooley - "An easter bunny sits behind an easter basket and easter eggs." • Yoshi Takekawa - "untitled image" • Rahul Pandit - "untitled image" • Rahul Bhogal - "untitled image"

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