The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities recently shared a publication with the Child and Family Development team in Charlotte.
They have launched a People First drive that is an effort to inform and educate the public about the unintended impact words may have when describing a person with a disability.
The chairman, Bob Rickelman, writes of the importance of seeing every person for their unique personality and capabilities, rather than their disability. In other words, he says, place "the value of the individual before mentioning the disability".
He encourages deliberate selection and order of wording. For example, one should say "a child with autism" rather than "an autistic child".
The booklet goes on to highlight 5 North Carolinians, ranging in age, interests and message. It is a joy to learn about these people and their participation in the NCCDD initiative.
For more information, visit their website, www.nccdd.org, or email questions to info@nccdd.org.
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