PASCO, Wash. – Columbia Basin College marked World Autism Awareness Day with an event organized in collaboration by the Disability Support Services and the Cultural Appreciation and Student Advocacy Group.
The event, nicknamed Self-Awareness Sweets, featured candy and informational brochures, which were passed out to students passing by. The group also encouraged students to embrace self-advocacy, offering tips for navigating daily life with a disability.
Nancy Peterson, an accessibility specialist for the Disability Support Services, highlighted the day’s focus on mutual support.
“So disability culture is about sharing the different experiences and understanding that it is a culture,” Peterson said. “Everybody benefits by knowing how to speak for themselves.”
Nova Brannigan, a student at CBC, emphasized the importance of self-advocacy.
“I’m autistic myself, but I also have some other disabilities,” Brannigan said. “I’ve found the importance of community and self-advocacy to be vital in getting what I need and supporting myself.”
Brannigan also encouraged prospective students with disabilities to reach out to disability support services for assistance.
“Don’t be afraid and they will work their best to make sure that you get the accommodations you need,” said Brannigan.
Peterson also announced an upcoming documentary presentation on the sixteenth, which will cover the disability civil rights movement in America.
