“Hi”. H-I. To most, these two letters are a common way of greeting someone, used countless times a day. However, in my time working alongside students with intellectual disabilities, this word was a symbol of inclusion and acceptance.
I first learned the power of “hi” in middle school. Walking to class with my friends, I watched as students in the special education class walked alone, like a barrier separated us. One girl in particular, Vannessa, was deaf and could only communicate through sign language. Hoping to blur this invisible line, I decided to use my sparse knowledge of ASL to talk to her. And what I found was that my ability to sign the letters “H” and “I” gave both of us a smile and a mutual feeling of respect. This interaction lit a spark within me to start my journey of advocating for those less heard.
I next realized the importance of this word my first week of high school. Attending a school I wasn’t zoned for, almost an hour away, meant I was initially divided, surrounded by others who saw their peers as familiar faces. Trying to find my niche, I decided to join Best Buddies – an organization dedicated to including students with disabilities. And immediately, I was met with piles of hugs of sincere conversations by students who wanted to be seen as equals. Starting with a “Hi! My name is Brooklyn” transformed into forging my most genuine friendships. In particular, I met someone named Brandon. Brandon was like me, he was going into his freshman year and was looking to make friends. When we were paired together, we didn’t realize it would turn into a friendship that was unlike any other.
Four years later, I see mine and their school intertwined – joining us in class, eating lunch together, and attending our after-school events. Working with my peers, I worked to create an environment that was conducive of all people, not just me. And I came to realize that in a world so divided, a diverse community outshines exclusion, and these relationships created a bigger picture, filled with kind faces.
By Brooklyn Fischetti