Washington DC – night gives way to day and commuters begin their daily routines. It’s
one of the world’s power capitals, headquarters too for Special Olympics, an organization
conceived by members of the famous Kennedy family.
It was easy to think that what mattered was those things – power, wealth and access
to resources, it was easy to believe as a kid that those kinds of things were the most
important thing you could have. Our athletes have changed me to be reminded that they are
not, that what matters is what’s inside you.
Special Olympics calls on communities all over the globe to accept and include people
with intellectual disabilities. Ben Collins is proud to say that he works at the Washington
Headquarters as Marketing and Communications Assistant.
I am visually impaired, I am literally blind. I’ve been blind for most of my life. This
job is really important to me, I like coming to work, riding on the metro.
Ben takes the hour long train ride from the suburbs each day.
I talk to people.
Ben’s one of 800,000 using the metro.
I’ve been taking public transportation for 21 years.
He’s one of seven staff members with a disability working at Special Olympics.
In my hand I have an orange bag, in my lunch box I have a sandwich and a granola bar and
in my other hand I have a walking cane. I like walking, if I walk and come here and
have a great day with all the wonderful people here.
Good morning Special Olympics. One moment please. Good morning Ben.
Good morning Kate.
The first Special Olympics games were held in 1968, just 1000 athletes competing. Today
it’s a thriving international organization supporting more than 3 million athletes in
180 countries.
This is my computer and my telephone, checking for messages. I work in the communications
department. I deliver the mail, help everybody with running staff meetings, do deliveries.
There are several athletes who work here at Special Olympics Incorporated. Come on come
with me!
This is my good friend Carrrie Barnes who works for the President and the CEO of Special
Olympics Incorporated Tim Shriver and Brady Lumm.
I’m going to have to correct you on that – Tim is chairman.
Close enough.
I answer the phones and do photocopying and help do the deliveries.
Last year Attitude filmed at the world Winter Special Olympics in Boise Idaho but this is
just one of hundreds of events held all over the world every year. Sure it’s about sport
but those behind the organization know they have a more vital role.
We don’t want people to come and say “aren’t they nice” or “aren’t they sweet”,
we want people to realize that the value proposition that our athletes bring is about everybody.
Our athletes represent a challenge to intolerance, they represent a challenge to prejudice, to
fear, to human misunderstanding.
Have a good day man, thanks for this.
Thank you very much.
Tim Shriver is the son of Eunice Kennedy Shriver who started Special Olympics from her back
yard in 1963.
My mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver who made the work of the Kennedy Foundation her life
and from it created Special Olympics and many other things I might add and who we just lost
this year.
My Aunt Patricia Kennedy Lawford who was a great volunteer for disability causes, a great
patron of the arts, probably my mother’s closest friend especially in the later part
of her life but all throughout her life and Uncle Bobby Kennedy who again is widely known,
Senator from New York and a great political leader.
I feel that gift that I’ve been given is something I want to do my best to gift to
others and the gift is to allow our athletes to have their voice speak, have their experience
speak, have their smiles and their athletic abilities speak and their voices be heard,
not watched, not listened to, not pitied but heard really deeply heard and deeply seen.