Aimee Mullins has overcome many obstacles in her life, but that is not why I find her so interesting. I like her because she reminds us to look at people for their strengths and what they could be, rather than focusing on any perceived limitations. As a pioneer in prosthetics design, she has called for artists, engineers, designers, athletes and others to use divergent thinking skills to reinvent the field. She has taken her perceived disadvantage of having amputated legs and turned it into the advantage of having whatever form of legs she can think of.
She also points out that children are naturally curious and do not have the same fears and stigmas around disabilities as adults do. It's not until we attach our baggage onto them that they become this way. A reminder to keep adjusting your lens and be careful what attitudes we bring with us into the classroom.
It serves to show our students all the wonders that people can create when they ignore the limitations put on them and imagine what can be. Art breeds imagination, which leads to empathy and creates community.
If you have ten minutes, it's worth the watch.
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