It was a surprise when Katja arrived back to the Kynnys Turku office with her daughter Amanda at her side. I had heard about Amanda in our earlier conversation together with the Kynnys team, where we discussed the hard work Kynnys was doing fighting for disability rights in Finland with unfortunately diminishing funding, the importance of independent living and peer support, and each of the members generously shared their personal stories. I listened to Katja tell about her and her daughter, Amanda, who has some intellectual disabilities, and their story of overcoming immense personal challenges and trauma, and showing so much resilience. I won’t divulge details, but hearing all Katja and Amanda went through, and seeing and experiencing the kindness and openness Katja showed me when I arrived, displayed a beauty and strength in character that I deeply admired, and nearly brought me to tears.
Amanda was shy when we first met, but when I showed her my bike, fully loaded for adventure, her eyes lit up and her face burst into a smile of wonder and excitement. It was a motivating and humbling feeling for me to be the object of a child’s wonder, and it’s a feeling I won’t soon forget. Amanda told me that she also liked to ride her bike, but her favorite activity was going on sailing adventures together with her mom. I told her maybe we could meet again in South Africa, me on the bike and her with the sailboat. It was powerful seeing Katja and Amanda’s strong family bond built from shared resilience and love, and it was clear Katja had worked hard to empower Amanda to believe in herself and her own independence and to dream big, without feeling restricted or limited by her disability. Amanda had brought a small Polaroid camera, and it was a joy to capture some grainy, black-and-white snapshots of the moment together. I still carry one of the small printed photos with me always on the bike, and I think the impact of the meeting will stick with me well after I finish my ride.
The whole experience struck home what the work of Kynnys, ENIL, and all the organizations I’ve met is truly about. Building a world where Amanda and kids like her, with differences that may set them apart from the “norm”, are not excluded or segregated, prejudiced or infantized, but are seen and valued as human beings, with different, but equally valid potential, capabilities, and dreams, and have the opportunities and support to aspire to their personal ambitions and live out their own adventures. A world that is accessible for everyone and where the benefits of accessibility and inclusion for all of us are recognized and embraced. A world where everyone has choice and control, autonomy and self-determination, and that values and welcomes diversity in all forms of ability, keeping the simple and shared integrity of everyone’s human dignity at the core. My meeting with Amanda instilled in me a passion to try to do my part in building this world, shifting perspectives and values, and fighting for independent living for everyone!
Thank you to everyone that’s donated to my fundraiser for ENIL! We’ve now raised over 2,000€, and I wanted to share this story of my meeting with Amanda to celebrate this milestone! Please help keep the momentum going and support the fight for an inclusive world where everyone can live independently and happily and which benefits all of us by donating to the fundraiser if you haven’t already. Here is the link. Every small amount counts, and I deeply appreciate all of your support!