Simple Changes Can Create a Utopia

   I absolutely loved this movie! Everything I learned from it was very new to me, and I am disappointed that not one aspect of this movie was taught in any of my high schools. So many things were going through my head throughout the movie, but this is one of the points I wanted to share on here!

    While watching Crip Camp, I realized how happy these teenagers were at Camp Jened; one character even described the camp as a utopia. These teenagers found Camp Jened a comfortable, safe environment because it was built on interdependence, liberation, and respect. This is all it takes to form a utopia-like environment. It's a matter of making everyone heard and included. At Camp Jened, everyone listened carefully to the speaker even if they were harder to understand than others, or communicated differently. All it took for these individuals to feel heard was a little patience and respect. They also all felt comfortable embracing themselves, they didn't have to cope with the ablesit society, and didn't have to hide their disabilities. No one was looked at as a "handicapped person," instead they were seen for who they are and not their disability. Lastly, Camp Jened was built on interdependence, where everyone used their strengths to help someone else, and they enjoyed doing it! If someone couldn't communicate an idea well to everyone else, there was at least one person who understood it and helped with communicating it to the rest of the group. This is all it takes to form a utopia-like society, a few simple changes. How hard is it to listen and value every individual's voice, and do our best to genuinely understand what they're trying to say? How hard is it to not look at a disabled individual and only see their disability, but instead get to know them? How hard would it be to use our strengths to help someone else out, and do it with a smile? Therefore, simple changes, such as listening or using our strengths to help each other out, can make a big difference.