1. Reframing How People Perceive Disability:
The symbols commonly used to represent disability don’t reflect the majority of disabled people. For example, the wheelchair icon only represents about 1% of the world’s population, and 80% of disabilities are invisible or hidden, meaning you cannot see them just by looking at someone.
There’s a saying in the disabled community: “If you’ve met one person with a disability, you’ve met one person with a disability.” In other words, don’t assume that the same condition will create the same experience. There may be some shared experiences of disability, but (just like all human experience) each of us has our own unique ways of thinking, working, and living. Individuality is something to celebrate.
Why Giraffes, you ask?
2. Standing Tall Through Challenges:
Giraffes evolved long necks to reach nutritious leaves, thriving in environments where others cannot. In a similar way, the disabled community often faces more barriers to success, not because of a lack of talent or drive, but because the world is not always designed with us in mind.
3. Celebrating Individuality & Community:
Did you know every giraffe’s coat is as unique as a human fingerprint, and a group of giraffes can be called a journey? This resonates with our mission: disabled and non-disabled people working together to overcome barriers and reach for new possibilities. We’d love you to be part of the journey!