On September 25th, TUJ LEAD collaborated with the Disability Club to host the workshop ‘Engage in Disability’. This workshop aimed to enhance understanding of different disabilities by experiencing and discussing what it is like to live with a disability in Tokyo.
The event began with a series of videos, introducing various disabilities including visual impairment, dyslexia, and autism. These introductory videos offered participants the chance to learn more about different disabilities and have a simulated experience of chronic pain using Ashi-Tubo Slippers. The workshop then moved into an open discussion panel, where members of the Disability Club joined in to share their experiences and challenges they face living in Tokyo. The discussion mainly focused on autism, emphasizing it exists on a spectrum and cannot be categorized into a single set of symptoms. The discussion was very interactive, and the event successfully ended by taking a group photo.
This workshop provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of disability and discuss what improvements could be made in society and at TUJ. The workshop emphasized the fact that having a disability is not a negative thing. We hope this event helped students break the stereotypes associated with disability and broaden their perspectives to create an inclusive environment at TUJ.