Viewing page 21 of 45

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

This week, 1000 disabled artists from 50 states and 50 countries will show their talents in Washington, D.C.

They'll Astonish You!

[[image - photograph, photograph credit Barbra Walz]]
The author with Willie Britt, who's holding the "Sandals" painting that won him fame.

Many years ago, my parents took me to see Stevie Wonder in concert.  I was an avid fan of his, so this was a special treat for me.  To this day, I remember quite clearly how absolutely amazed I was at Stevie's extraordinary musical abilities.  And yet, I believe I was equally amazed that he could have such talent even though he was blind.  I was much younger then and couldn't imagine having a disability such as being blind or deaf or having to use a wheelchair.  When I saw people with such disabilities, I was filled with pity.  I imagine that, like most young people at the time, I didn't really expect that a person with a disability could accomplish anything in life. 

But now I too have a close bond with such individuals, because I share the characteristic that makes them "very special" - a disability that challenges me every day of my life.  Thirteen was my unlucky year.  But in the years since losing one of my legs to cancer at that age, I have gained something worth far more than a leg--firsthand understanding of the torment, condescension and discrimination that millions of disabled men, woman and children endure each day, not because of their disability but because of society's denial of reasonable opportunities for them to reach their potential and lead satisfying lives.

Now, of course, I realize those feelings--of pity and drastically reduced expectations--are the very attitudes that people who are mentally and physically challenged are fighting to change.  I have come to know, firsthand, that the most severe limitation people with a disability often face is lack of opportunity -- lack of opportunity to participate fully in society, to be regarded by others as an equal and have access to things we all take for granted, like getting a job or living independently in the community.

People with disabilities deserve to participate in all that life has to offer, including the arts.  Unfortunately, our society does not place as high a priority on the arts as many other countries do. Often, when there are budget cuts, the arts are among the first to go.  Arts programs for people with disabilities are in even greater jeopardy of being eliminated.  I am not an artist myself, but I have seen the new worlds that can be opened up when a disabled child first learns to paint a picture, sing a song, recite a poem or perform a dance.

A few weeks ago, I was reminded again of the influence the arts can have on the life of a person with a disability.  Though I have been deeply involved with the organization called Very Special Arts for several years, I am always moved, as if for the first time, when one individual achieves a goal that seems to

I have seen new worlds open up when a child first learns to paint, sing or recite

By Ted Kennedy Jr.

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY BARBRA WALZ

Page 4 - June 11, 1989 - Parade Magazine