I was introduced to the concept of inclusion at the age of 16, while standing in line behind a girl of a similar age, at a community event. She was restless and frustrated as she kept turning around impatiently. She rocked back and forth, tugging at her mother’s hand continuously. She was having difficulty being still, yet nobody was noticing her struggle. When I offered to help, her mother politely replied, “No beta it is okay, I just have to get her some chai as she is very hungry.”
Suddenly, the young girl pulled my hair hard while pushing me away. She was feeling upset and experienced what I later learned is called ‘sensory overload.’ This was the overstimulation of one or more of the body’s five senses which can make a person feel restless and irritable. Her means of reacting to this overload was quite different from how others might have reacted.
There were gasps from others in the line who asked if I was okay, but once again, not one of them asked the young girl how she was feeling. We finally made it downstairs for chai where her mother felt supported as part of the community.
This eye-opening encounter led me to learn further about diversity, disabilities, inclusion and the need for us to practise inclusion as a society and as a community.
‘Diversity’ and ‘Inclusion’ go hand in hand for they are relative to the act of including somebody, being aware of and accepting someone despite their variations in social and ethnic backgrounds, gender, religion, abilities and so forth.
“My Child, My Life”
Jubilee Arts offered the perfect opportunity to exemplify the understanding of inclusion through personal stories within our community. This gave birth to the production of the documentary “My Child, My Life,” highlighting the challenges faced by three families of children with special needs.
This video shines a light on the importance of educating ourselves to understand that ‘different’ does not mean less, but rather, refers to alternate strands of beauty, strength and abilities that are not easily noticed.
Rising Stars
Subsequently, I founded and launched an initiative called “Rising Stars” in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Rising Stars is a talent academy for children of different abilities to showcase to the world that they are more than their labels and need more opportunities for representation in the performing arts. The children performed on stage and demonstrated their various talents including singing and dancing. One young boy even made his personal computer!
Suha, a young talented Community member, born with a rare disease, took part in the first Rising Stars Show at the EXPO 2020. Her mother, Salima Aziz, shared that the show gave her daughter a platform to shine: “Suha felt so excited to be a part of Rising Stars, showcasing her talent in dance. It was amazing seeing her peers show off their talents. I feel like there should be more opportunities like Rising Stars for inclusion.’’
Paving the Way Forward
The UAE has been making significant strides in being a more inclusive country in recent years. In 2017, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, coined the term “people of determination”, which has replaced the words ‘disabled and disability’ across the UAE. In 2019, while speaking to the Khaleej Times, Sheikh Mohammed explained that the word “disability” implied an “inability to make progress and achievements.”
Significant changes are happening all around us, paving the way for inclusiveness and diversity. For example, various fashion brands are embracing more models with a spectrum of skin tones and skin conditions. Gucci, a luxury, high-end brand is promoting its clothing by enabling opportunities for models with Down Syndrome to a more diverse and inclusive approach.
On 30 March 2012, at the Inauguration of ‘Treasures of the Aga Khan Museum’ at the Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, His Highness the Aga Khan spoke about acknowledging diversity:
“We have to illustrate the fact that our world is a very diverse world, that it is a very beautiful world in its diversity… It seems, therefore, that it is important that we illustrate this beauty in a way which the global community can understand.”
Human diversity can be likened to the beautiful forms of art that His Highness the Aga Khan spoke about. So let us help each other to become inclusive, offer opportunities to people of determination, and accept diversity as a strength rather than a threat. The key is to broaden our lens of awareness, to include understanding and kindness. Remember that it is okay to ask if we can help to understand better, so we are able to see beyond the human labels, and recognise the strands of beauty, strength and abilities amongst us.
