Negative attitudes are one of the many barriers people with disabilities face. People with disabilities also face discrimination in terms of employment, public education, transportation, and affordable and accessible housing. While there have been advancements and legislation to help, many feel society must go further in treating people with disabilities equally.
Disability Awareness Month is celebrated throughout Indiana during the month of March. The goal is to increase awareness and promote independence, integration, and inclusion for the 51 million Americans with disabilities. Disabled adults and children represent slightly more than 19 percent of Indiana’s population according to Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities.
“We’re still in a society where there isn’t enough awareness about people with disabilities” explained Suellen Jackson-Bonner, executive director, Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities.
The Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities’ focus on advocacy and leadership training began in 1980 and has flourished in the areas of systems change advocacy, self-advocacy groups, grassroots efforts, community leadership, public policy and civic engagement. Over the past 25 years, the Council has empowered tens of thousands of Hoosiers with disabilities to create positive change throughout the state.
The Disability Awareness Month theme this year is “Attitude is everything.” The campaign’s featured poster shows a team of young teens playing a backyard game of football-led by a young lady with a disability.
“We wanted to show a person with a disability included as a part of a team, an active part of a team,” said Jackson-Bonner. “Too often people with disabilities are observers, not participants. We wanted to show people that a person with a disability could be a successful part of a team. To be a champion, you have to think like one, both on and off the field. And when you champion a winning attitude for yourself and your team, you can achieve anything.”
The young lady in the poster is Amy Mills, who was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD) in her left leg. When an individual has PFFD, the proximal femur is partially absent, and the entire limb is overall shortened.
“Amy is a personification of the ‘Attitude is everything’ theme,” said Jackson-Bonner. “Amy in terms of what she’s done at school, in friendships and extracurricular activities has a positive attitude of achievement.”
Mills, 15, does not let a prosthetic leg stop the accomplishment of any achievements. Mills plays softball for the Mooresville girl’s league and is learning to golf.
“I’ve been able to do everything I wanted to do,” voiced Mills.
A freshman at Mooresville High School, Mills also spends time as the Council spokesperson giving speeches as the guest speaker on disability awareness. Most of the students at Mills’ school are aware of her disability. The poster featuring Mills is on display at schools throughout the state and at public libraries.
“A lot of kids at school when they hear my story their attitude changes,” explained Mills. “People become positive and look at things in a different way.”
Mills doesn’t let negativity get in the way of the ability to go the distance and accomplish any goal.
“God has blessed her,” added Mills’ mother, Angie. “There hasn’t been one thing she hasn’t been able to do. She may have had to fight harder but she accomplished her goal in the end.”
For more information on Disability Awareness Month, visit www.in.gov/gpcpd.
