Springfield (KMTR) – A new public awareness campaign called “Look Me in the Eye” has been launched to get people to shed stereotypes often placed on those with developmental disabilities.
Michael Mills was born with a learning disability and motor skills issues. He is a client the Full Access organization, which provides support and coordinates services for those living with disabilities.
Full Access has teamed up with civic leaders in Lane County to improve access to services, to break down barriers and to make people conscious of condescending attitudes toward people with disabilities.
Mills says that’s something he has battled his entire life: “It makes me feel like they don't want to acknowledge who I am. They just want to totally ignore me and say, ‘Hey, he's disabled so he can’t comprehend, so we're going to ignore him and not ever acknowledge he exists.”
Heather Hopkins-Slechta of Full Access says, “They’ve been traditionally overlooked and underestimated. One of the things that we found in talking to the people we serve is that they feel invisible.”
The “Look Me in the Eye” campaign urges people to look at least ten people directly in the eyes every day.
