On Sept. 5, the Bionic Project hosted a presentation for the Lexington High School soccer program in the IDLC. Co-led by LHS boys Varsity assistant coach Nico Calabria, the organization aims to spread awareness regarding disability bias and reduce the stigma surrounding disability.
During the presentation, Calabria emphasized the impact of media on the narrative of disability and the ideas that have become associated with it.
“People with disabilities would typically be represented as something to pity or have sympathy for: something that’s meant to inspire a non-disabled audience,” Calabria said.
Players and coaches were tasked with identifying both positive and negative narratives within commercials featuring people with disabilities, including one about Calabria himself. By comparing and contrasting how the commercials portrayed specific themes, participants learned to recognize how advertisements can strengthen viewers’ existing biases.
“The conversations I have with folks are typically because they want to say something about the fact that I have a disability. And I’m just a person. I’m Nico … We think that a big part of why that happens so much is because we’ve represented people with disabilities in media [in a way] that encourages that type of interaction,” Calabria said.
For many attendees, the presentation introduced a new perspective on disability awareness.
“It was a really rewarding thing to be able to bring both programs together, all teams, all levels, to learn about how people who have significant physical disabilities engage with the world, especially in activities and events that we take for granted, especially as soccer players,” Edward Cooper, a girls varsity assistant coach and English teacher at LHS, said.
After the presentation, varsity players were able to try their hand at playing soccer on crutches, with many finding it far more difficult than they expected.
Together, the presentation and field session allowed players to recognize their own implicit biases, giving them a chance to change their mindset regarding disability.
“I think I’ve always seen people without a leg or without a limb as less capable of doing sports. I’ve played with [Calabria] a lot, and he’s a fantastic soccer player and an incredible athlete … In the future I’m definitely going to be more open-minded,” Adam Keene, a boys varsity soccer player, said.
Additionally, players were able to discuss and reflect on how they can support a more positive narrative, pulling from what they learned from the presentation.
“My thoughts when interacting with people with disabilities are going to change. It’s more [about] recognizing the person for the person and not for whatever disability they may have. Because at the end of the day, you have to realize that they’re just a normal person trying to live their life,” Yousr Hassan, a boys junior varsity soccer player, said.
Calabria and the Bionic Project’s goal of inclusion remained a key element of the presentation. Regardless of the audience, their message was consistent: everyone’s story deserves to be heard.
“You think about windows and mirrors: how you have a window into someone else’s identity, and mirrors that reflect your own. For some kids, it might have been a mirror, and they might have had [similar] experiences,” Calabria said. “A lot of times, with invisible disabilities, people don’t want to talk about them. They feel like it’s a negative thing. So maybe some of those kids [will] feel empowered to talk about it and to feel comfortable in their own skin. That’s a win.”
