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OUR PANEL IS A GO! (Putting Ability Into Disability w/ Pony
WE DID IT!
BronyCon has OFFICIALLY approved our panel, Putting the Ability Into Disability Through Pony! Me, my son, and some very inspirational friends are going to put on a presentation that is long overdue and will be like no other!
For those unfamiliar with the panel, here are the details.
PANEL / EVENT NAME:
Putting "Ability" into Disability through Ponies
POTENTIAL DATE AND TIME:
Saturday, August 2nd
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM or 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
SUMMARY:
An hour long event in which will discuss
1: Dispel negative stereotypes associated to people with special needs
2: How individuals with special needs have positively coped and adapted to their respective condition(s)
3: Ways that you can maintain positivity and be encouraging to sibling, friends, or people you meet who have special needs
4: The importance of making software, animations, and other technologies accessible to all
5: How "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" has given individuals with special needs feel empowered through the Brony Community
PANELISTS:
Meredith Sims
Matthew Palumbo
Benjamin Platt
Rachel Merryfield)
*Special Guests / VIPs, like Lee Tockar and Amy Keating Rogers, are also welcome and encouraged to attend.
[i]ABOUT THE PANELISTS:[/u]
Matthew Palumbo [i]aka: Yosh E. O'Ducky[/u]
Despite being born with a degenerative eye condition, I have successfully earned my Masters degree, currently have a career as a Business Analyst and I have a small family of my own (son and wife).
Over the past 8 years, I have undergone multiple eye surgeries that have taken me out of work for notable periods of time. However, despite losing more-and-more sight, I keep returning to the job to help advocate for the next generation of disabled workers to come.
Pony has given me hope as an aspiring, children's book author. Rachel Merryfield and I are currently working on an original story that was inspired by Silly Filly Studios' "Snowdrop" that advocates the power of friendship and how it can help enable the disabled beyond any other force in the world.
***
Benjamin Platt
Supportive oldest brother to a brother with Autism and a sister with Down's Syndrome, Ben knows what it is like to live with and help raise individuals with special needs.
MLP: Friendship is Magic has inspired Ben to return to his writing while also giving him a way to relate with his sister with Down's Syndrome, who often will spend time with Ben discussing the show and Pinkie Pie, her favorite character.
***
Meredith Sims
Wrote and voiced the inspirational animation by Silly Filly Studios, "Snowdrop". She did this without having any real understanding of the blind community. This is impressive, considering how she wrote the script so well in making a blind character that didn't have typical, blind stereotypes.
Please reference 21:00 into the video from BronyCon to see how wonderful it is to see someone so young and talented thinking "Outside the Box" with regard to individuals with disabilities.
The following video at 22 minutes in is a strong reason why her presence would help show how tomorrows writers can develop meaningful work without carrying forward negative stereotypes about the disabled.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYqmnC…
***
Rachel Merryfield
Rachel is an aspiring, application developer who has a strong knowledge of how important it is to make technology accessible to all.
She is currently working on two unique projects. The first is "Braillemon", which is a version of Pokemon that can be played without sight! The second is the inspirational, children's story of how friendship can make all the difference in a special needs person's life with me.
BRAILLEMON:
braillemon.tumblr.com/
HAPO TALES:
www.facebook.com/hapotales
My colleagues and I are super excited to have this opportunity to show how those of us who are different, have special needs, and/or disabilities have found strength through MLP: Friendship is Magic. However, more importantly, we want to educate every pony on the importance of having "Self-Confidence" and "Not Letting Stereotypes Drive How You Feel Towards Those Who are Different".
Once I get everything in place, I am aiming to start a little Kickstarter to try and gain funds to print a packet filled with useful data for individuals with, and without, disabilities. Knowledge is power and we're going to really Pony Up this panel!
Keep watching for more details!
BronyCon has OFFICIALLY approved our panel, Putting the Ability Into Disability Through Pony! Me, my son, and some very inspirational friends are going to put on a presentation that is long overdue and will be like no other!
For those unfamiliar with the panel, here are the details.
PANEL / EVENT NAME:
Putting "Ability" into Disability through Ponies
POTENTIAL DATE AND TIME:
Saturday, August 2nd
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM or 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
SUMMARY:
An hour long event in which will discuss
1: Dispel negative stereotypes associated to people with special needs
2: How individuals with special needs have positively coped and adapted to their respective condition(s)
3: Ways that you can maintain positivity and be encouraging to sibling, friends, or people you meet who have special needs
4: The importance of making software, animations, and other technologies accessible to all
5: How "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" has given individuals with special needs feel empowered through the Brony Community
PANELISTS:
Meredith Sims
Matthew Palumbo
Benjamin Platt
Rachel Merryfield)
*Special Guests / VIPs, like Lee Tockar and Amy Keating Rogers, are also welcome and encouraged to attend.
[i]ABOUT THE PANELISTS:[/u]
Matthew Palumbo [i]aka: Yosh E. O'Ducky[/u]
Despite being born with a degenerative eye condition, I have successfully earned my Masters degree, currently have a career as a Business Analyst and I have a small family of my own (son and wife).
Over the past 8 years, I have undergone multiple eye surgeries that have taken me out of work for notable periods of time. However, despite losing more-and-more sight, I keep returning to the job to help advocate for the next generation of disabled workers to come.
Pony has given me hope as an aspiring, children's book author. Rachel Merryfield and I are currently working on an original story that was inspired by Silly Filly Studios' "Snowdrop" that advocates the power of friendship and how it can help enable the disabled beyond any other force in the world.
***
Benjamin Platt
Supportive oldest brother to a brother with Autism and a sister with Down's Syndrome, Ben knows what it is like to live with and help raise individuals with special needs.
MLP: Friendship is Magic has inspired Ben to return to his writing while also giving him a way to relate with his sister with Down's Syndrome, who often will spend time with Ben discussing the show and Pinkie Pie, her favorite character.
***
Meredith Sims
Wrote and voiced the inspirational animation by Silly Filly Studios, "Snowdrop". She did this without having any real understanding of the blind community. This is impressive, considering how she wrote the script so well in making a blind character that didn't have typical, blind stereotypes.
Please reference 21:00 into the video from BronyCon to see how wonderful it is to see someone so young and talented thinking "Outside the Box" with regard to individuals with disabilities.
The following video at 22 minutes in is a strong reason why her presence would help show how tomorrows writers can develop meaningful work without carrying forward negative stereotypes about the disabled.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYqmnC…
***
Rachel Merryfield
Rachel is an aspiring, application developer who has a strong knowledge of how important it is to make technology accessible to all.
She is currently working on two unique projects. The first is "Braillemon", which is a version of Pokemon that can be played without sight! The second is the inspirational, children's story of how friendship can make all the difference in a special needs person's life with me.
BRAILLEMON:
braillemon.tumblr.com/
HAPO TALES:
www.facebook.com/hapotales
My colleagues and I are super excited to have this opportunity to show how those of us who are different, have special needs, and/or disabilities have found strength through MLP: Friendship is Magic. However, more importantly, we want to educate every pony on the importance of having "Self-Confidence" and "Not Letting Stereotypes Drive How You Feel Towards Those Who are Different".
Once I get everything in place, I am aiming to start a little Kickstarter to try and gain funds to print a packet filled with useful data for individuals with, and without, disabilities. Knowledge is power and we're going to really Pony Up this panel!
Keep watching for more details!
Category All / All
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File Size 199.6 kB
Thanks, Leon. *Hugs* I'm really looking forward to getting my team together and making this the best panel it can be.
That said, if you have any ideas on matters that should be covered, please let me know.
Most of my panelists are either autistic, visually impaired, or familiar with one and/or the other. So, I want to create documentation to touch on those areas I can't in a 1 hour panel. So, if you think of anything in particular, please share so I can make this as informative as possible. :)
That said, if you have any ideas on matters that should be covered, please let me know.
Most of my panelists are either autistic, visually impaired, or familiar with one and/or the other. So, I want to create documentation to touch on those areas I can't in a 1 hour panel. So, if you think of anything in particular, please share so I can make this as informative as possible. :)
Anyone who has a Scorchio for an avatar is an instant pal to me. :)
Fun fact: My user name here is actually a variant upon the book on Neopets entitled, "Scorch E O". :)
I hope you like what you see here on my gallery. It's a mix of many things. However, the common threads are typically friendship, cuteness, and overcoming trials and tribulations. :)
Fun fact: My user name here is actually a variant upon the book on Neopets entitled, "Scorch E O". :)
I hope you like what you see here on my gallery. It's a mix of many things. However, the common threads are typically friendship, cuteness, and overcoming trials and tribulations. :)
Thanks, Poco! I appreciate the words of support.
As I shared with Leon, if you can think of anything you feel should be touched upon within this panel, please let me know. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to raising awareness to how capable and amazing people can be despite how they may appear on the outside. I want to try and, in the least, make the panel informative while handing out additional, support materials to cover all that me and my team could not get to within the 1 hour time span. :)
As I shared with Leon, if you can think of anything you feel should be touched upon within this panel, please let me know. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to raising awareness to how capable and amazing people can be despite how they may appear on the outside. I want to try and, in the least, make the panel informative while handing out additional, support materials to cover all that me and my team could not get to within the 1 hour time span. :)
<LoL!> I loathe "Phonies". I especially loathe Brony Haters who go onto family oriented sites, like the BronyCon Official FaceBook site, and say nasty things while using profanity to do so. It's wrong in so many ways.
I'd be very interested in any input you may have on topics that I should cover, or have documentation on, at the panel. I've been mentally planning this all out for months and I'm ready to make this one for the record books.
As a side note, *Hugs*, I thank you so very much for having thought of me as a good representation of a Pony fan. I fell for it after being told to watch it for months and someone eventually sending me a homemade DVD to get me to see it. It reminded me so much of what I aspire for in my writing that I just couldn't help but love it. That and, well, Spike's a cutie. :)
And, for said person who questions my existence, they can see me on the "Everfree Network" this Summer as all BronyCon panels are taped and posted on YouTube. :)
I'd be very interested in any input you may have on topics that I should cover, or have documentation on, at the panel. I've been mentally planning this all out for months and I'm ready to make this one for the record books.
As a side note, *Hugs*, I thank you so very much for having thought of me as a good representation of a Pony fan. I fell for it after being told to watch it for months and someone eventually sending me a homemade DVD to get me to see it. It reminded me so much of what I aspire for in my writing that I just couldn't help but love it. That and, well, Spike's a cutie. :)
And, for said person who questions my existence, they can see me on the "Everfree Network" this Summer as all BronyCon panels are taped and posted on YouTube. :)
It's a good question, and I'm not entirely sure I'm qualified to answer it. I'm not an MLP fan and I'm not disabled per se; I tend to think of the Asperger's as an aspect of my personality more than anything else. However, if I were to choose an additional topic of discussion, I'd suggest brainstorming ways to improve public relations for MLP fans, if that hasn't already been considered.
I'd like to think that the majority of MLP fans are reasonable people who practice their love for the show responsibly. However, a few are not so considerate. The Tumblr jerk mentioned something called "Princess Molestia," making it the lynchpin of her hatred for the entire community. Maybe there'd be some way to distance the community from that and push it toward socially positive things like what you're doing.
I'd like to think that the majority of MLP fans are reasonable people who practice their love for the show responsibly. However, a few are not so considerate. The Tumblr jerk mentioned something called "Princess Molestia," making it the lynchpin of her hatred for the entire community. Maybe there'd be some way to distance the community from that and push it toward socially positive things like what you're doing.
You're follow-up here confirms an idea that I want to start executing ASAP. This being soliciting other Pony Fans who, like me, have benefited greatly from the show in overcoming difference and disability. Preferably, I'd love to get stories from kids in the "actual" Target Audience.
My hope would be to compile a little book containing stories that show how Pony has helped those of us who are "Different", "Disabled", or of "Special Needs" feel like we can belong somewhere, or at least relate to a character to give us some strength and self-understanding.
My immediate goals is to get a "Logo" made and get word out on this book idea. Then, if this starts, get a Kickstarter going to help fund the printing of said materials so I can distribute them at the convention.
I don't know if you are familiar with Grayson's story, "The kid who got bullied by his whole school, including staff, for having an MLP Lunch Box", but they are trying to raise money to get him to BronyCon. I'd like to help if I get overflow from the Kickstarter effort. Grayson is 9 and my son is 7. I think it'd be a great meetup. :)
The trouble I now have is trying to ensure I don't stray too far from "Pony". Though, I feel working to get a collection of stories from others from all over the world would be super helpful. It would show how people of all races, backgrounds, and interests have benefited from the show and that, if we all can agree on liking the show, we can learn to tolerate the small differences that, otherwise, go treated poorly by an ignorant society.
Personally, Aspergers will play a role in the panel itself. This is due to my second panelist, Ben Platt. His dad has Aspergers, his sister has Downs', and his brother is low-functioning autistic. So, he will be speaking on behalf of learning to understand, respect, and work with siblings, as well as others, who may be on the spectrum. :)
My hope would be to compile a little book containing stories that show how Pony has helped those of us who are "Different", "Disabled", or of "Special Needs" feel like we can belong somewhere, or at least relate to a character to give us some strength and self-understanding.
My immediate goals is to get a "Logo" made and get word out on this book idea. Then, if this starts, get a Kickstarter going to help fund the printing of said materials so I can distribute them at the convention.
I don't know if you are familiar with Grayson's story, "The kid who got bullied by his whole school, including staff, for having an MLP Lunch Box", but they are trying to raise money to get him to BronyCon. I'd like to help if I get overflow from the Kickstarter effort. Grayson is 9 and my son is 7. I think it'd be a great meetup. :)
The trouble I now have is trying to ensure I don't stray too far from "Pony". Though, I feel working to get a collection of stories from others from all over the world would be super helpful. It would show how people of all races, backgrounds, and interests have benefited from the show and that, if we all can agree on liking the show, we can learn to tolerate the small differences that, otherwise, go treated poorly by an ignorant society.
Personally, Aspergers will play a role in the panel itself. This is due to my second panelist, Ben Platt. His dad has Aspergers, his sister has Downs', and his brother is low-functioning autistic. So, he will be speaking on behalf of learning to understand, respect, and work with siblings, as well as others, who may be on the spectrum. :)
Oh, Skye. I thought so much about you as I pushed to get BronyCon to allow this panel to happen. You inspire me so much. With any luck, I can help inspire many others, as you have me, by putting on a presentation with my colleagues that is worthy of your time to view and share.
This said, if you have anything you think I should bring up, or have added to the documentation I'm going to develop as a handout to discuss where to get help, ways to cope, etc. with various disabilities and situations, I'm all ears. :)
This said, if you have anything you think I should bring up, or have added to the documentation I'm going to develop as a handout to discuss where to get help, ways to cope, etc. with various disabilities and situations, I'm all ears. :)
I am humbled by your statement. :) This panel means a lot to me and I intend to do it right. My team and I are going to make it fun, informative, and something that will be worth watching over-and-over on the "Everfree Network" to show how ponies have done so much to help those of us who are "Different", "Disabled", and/or "Special Needs".
If you have any ideas as to anything I can do to make this 20% cooler, I'm 100% open.
If you have any ideas as to anything I can do to make this 20% cooler, I'm 100% open.
You mean, "What we can do." :)
This isn't about me. This about influencing a still influential generation of people into realizing societal stereotypes are incorrect and how My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic has helped many who, like us, are different and happy to have something we can relate with to others. :)
This isn't about me. This about influencing a still influential generation of people into realizing societal stereotypes are incorrect and how My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic has helped many who, like us, are different and happy to have something we can relate with to others. :)
I'd like to begin by apologizing to you for having missed your post. I just now saw it and that is awful. I'm very sorry. :(
That's awesome how you and your family made a site to help others out. I want to make the book we are putting together as inspirational as possible. With your permission, I'd like to consider adding the link at the end of all the story submissions so folks can find other resources to aid them in coping with their condition.
Again, I'm so sorry I didn't see this post sooner. I am 99% spot on for timely responses. So, with that, please accept my deepest apologies.
That's awesome how you and your family made a site to help others out. I want to make the book we are putting together as inspirational as possible. With your permission, I'd like to consider adding the link at the end of all the story submissions so folks can find other resources to aid them in coping with their condition.
Again, I'm so sorry I didn't see this post sooner. I am 99% spot on for timely responses. So, with that, please accept my deepest apologies.
Thanks! I have colleagues who are assisting me in picking the right materials for the book. So, I will share it with them and see what they think.
Overall, our goal is to show how Pony and its Fandom have made strides towards giving those with special needs a chance at "Love" and "Tolerance". Any additional ways we can keep that ball rolling post the panel would be outstanding!
Once more, I am so sorry I took forever to write you back. Your patience is deeply appreciated.
Overall, our goal is to show how Pony and its Fandom have made strides towards giving those with special needs a chance at "Love" and "Tolerance". Any additional ways we can keep that ball rolling post the panel would be outstanding!
Once more, I am so sorry I took forever to write you back. Your patience is deeply appreciated.
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