IBBY-Yamada 2014: Mexico

IBBY Mexico conducted a workshop to explore the issues of understanding and working with disabled people. The workshop was attended by 20 participants currently working with disabled people, many of them reading volunteers in schools, institutions or hospitals.

The first session, led by Carmina Hernández dealt with developing a realistic point of view of disabled people: emphasizing the fact that their disability is just part of who they are but does not define them. The second session dealt specifically with the issues of the deaf, for whom “reading” needs to be transmitted through sign language. Led by Noe Romero, the participants learned the alphabet and basic words in sign language. Finally, together with the Asociacion para el desarrollo integral del Sordo, the participants could experience Sena y Verbo, where the deaf actress Lucila Olade, presented Luis Borges’ book El libro de Arena (Sand Book). This was an excellent demonstration that the inability to hear does not mean that a deaf person cannot communicate.