Hello, hello! I’m Mo, and I’m always “on the go” for my friends at Paperworks studio. I spend a lot of time with our artists at both card-making facilities, shooting videos and conducting interviews that I then upload to our Facebook page. Every once in a while, when something really cool/exciting/inspirational happens on the job, I’ll post it here so our readers and fans have a better sense about what we do and who our artists are….they’re all so wonderful, I wish you could meet them in person!
A few days ago, I had the honor and privilege to attend the TBA prom.
I put on my high school prom dress, donned some earrings my boyfriend’s mom made me and my pearl necklace, and I braided some pigtails quickly: my signature “Mo on the Go” hairdo! I loaded up my two cameras and drove down to the Park Place in Traverse City, ready to dance and capture the night to share with the world.
My interactions and communications with special needs or disabled people–both my age and older–were very few and far between until I started working at Paperworks. I remember some kids in my school, but I was never in any classes with them; I knew they were there, but I didn’t feel like I was in-touch with their lives at all. After taking my job last month at Paperworks, I’m amazed by what I learn every day and how touched and inspired I am every time I go to work.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I went to prom: though we do employ a lot of students from TBA at Paperworks, I had no idea what the prom would be like, how many people would be there, and if I would fit in at all with the students. In my experience, every person I’ve met at both the Adult Work Center at TBA and at the main (but smaller) studio nearby, everyone is incredibly nice, welcoming, and incredibly non-judgemental. Honestly, before working at Paperworks, I can easily say I’ve not found that too many places.
Of course, I also recognized that this prom would be a lot different than the ones I went to in high school. Sure, the kids would dress up and dance and go with dates, but the atmosphere and vibe would be different….I mean, it would need to be, right?
What I experienced at the prom was beyond anything I could have expected. There was nothing unusual, strange, or weird about the prom: I think I actually enjoyed my time there more than I did at my senior prom!
First off, the Park Place was decorated beautifully. White streamers and a soft glow of light made the room radiate a warmth and congeniality that matched the people attending the prom. The room was abuzz with activity as the king and queen were just being announced, but even so, there was something special in the room that evening, and I couldn’t deny it.
What I felt was complete peace with myself, which was certainly not what I set out to find that night. Everywhere I looked, I saw parents and guardians there with their kids, who had beaming smiles on their faces as they laughed and danced with their close friends. The students were all dressed up in whatever fine attire they chose to wear, but they all looked wonderful despite their clothes: their presence in the room alone was captivating. Never have I seen people so excited to be somewhere; never have I seen such genuine love amongst a group of people, and I was drawn to this energy in a way I didn’t think was possible, if only because I never experienced it myself.
Though I took a lot of pictures and videos of the prom, I dropped my guard and my “role” as a social media coordinator for Paperworks and completely immersed myself in the scene around me, just like the students did. I danced with complete strangers, I sang along to “Who Let the Dogs Out” and Shania Twain, I worked up a sweat and didn’t care what my hair looked like at the end of the night. The people around me accepted me for who I am, because they don’t judge people at all: I think they’re quite incapable of doing so, and I admit I’m jealous of this talent.
The most important thing I learned last Thursday night at the prom is that we are all the same, and we all have the same basic needs. We all want to be loved. I always thought that sounded really tacky and trite, but that’s because, until I went to the prom it was only something I had heard: that night, I saw, lived, felt, and breathed it.
Everywhere around me, students danced with their dates, held each other close, and requested slow songs to share with their special someone. Two workers at Paperworks, Shane and Jade, were recently engaged to be married…and though this initially made me very nervous to hear because I was unsure how they would make a living together, I realized that it doesn’tmatter how they make a living because they love one another and that’s all they need. They will find a way to make it work for each other, and I am excited for them.
There is something so pure about the way the students interact with each other. Even among themselves, where there are a variety of mental and physical disabilities or handicaps, there are no barriers in their friendships, and everyone communicates and interacts with everyone. It is the most incredible thing I have every seen, and I feel so comfortable around my new friends at Paperworks and TBA because they don’t see the “imperfections” or “flaws” that I might see when I look in the mirror. They see someone just like them, who breathes and exists just like them, and for that reason alone they trust me and want to interact with me. I am honored to know each and every one of those students, even if only in passing, because they are the most wonderful people I’ve ever met.
I danced for a solid two hours before heading home. I felt like I was on a cloud, despite not having a date to the prom, because I felt a part of something so special that I know few people will ever experience. I wish everyone’s prom could be as stress-free and celebratory as the TBA prom…we could all learn so much!
That’s all for me. I look forward to posting more stories about my adventures with the people at Paperworks Studio, and I’ll definitely be writing again soon!
- Mo
