Dubai's people of determination release awareness video on importance of inclusion

Dubai - 'Wings Of Angelz' produced the video that is inspired from the popular Tik Tok challenge called 'Pass the Brush'.

Sending out a message on the Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on May 21, a Dubai-based organization that works for inclusion and accessibility of people of determination (PoD) released a happy video featuring a number of PoDs pledging to make the world a more inclusive and happy place to live in.
With the aim of spreading the message of accessibility and inclusion with a tinge of positivity through this video, CDA registered organisation 'Wings Of Angelz', produced the video that is inspired from the popular Tik Tok challenge called 'Pass the Brush', where instead of the passing the brush (makeup), PoDs and volunteers of the organization can be seen passing a marker with which they pen down their dreams and aspirations.
"The marker in this video signifies gratitude and hope. People with different impairments have come together to share what they are grateful for in 2020 and what they hope for in 2021," said Shobhika Kalra, founder of Wings of Angelz platform.
Elaborating on the video, Kalra, who is also a PoD and is wheelchair-bound after she was affected by a degenerative disease, said: "Since there is an increased anxiety due to the restrictions around the current pandemic, Wings of Angelz wanted to spread this message of accessibility and inclusion digitally as that is what the Global Accessibility Awareness Day is all about - to get all talking, thinking and learning about digital access/inclusion and people with different disabilities.
The video is supported by Eduscan School of Determination and KnackTag Digital Media and shows its participants smiling, dancing and jiving with the song 'You can count on me.playing in the background, while they hold placards with messages of hope, inclusivity and acceptance. Some of the messages given out by PoDs in the video include a singer holding a placard that says 'awaiting new opportunities; an autistic boy expressing the need to be accepted by society, young girls hoping to have an inclusive playground among others. The video ends on an emotional appeal by PoDs that with over one billion PoDs across the world, lets pledge to make the world a more inclusive place for all on GAAD. The message stated at the end of the video read:  "You can count on us too.if we are given the right opportunities and accessibility."
Thanking her team of volunteers and fellow PoDs, Kalra said: "We have 11 stars who feature in this video. While they have different impairments, we have consciously chosen to describe them with words beyond their impairments as we would want people to start looking beyond their impairments. The concept and editing is done by Ruchika Kalra and supported by Halima, Knick Tag Digital Media and Shahan Khalid. Swagata Das is responsible for choreography and Ashwin Sahityani for managing talent. "
Kalra through her initiative Wings of Angelz has helped build over 1,000 wheelchair ramps across the UAE. "We are now looking to take this to the next level. In H2, 2020 we are launching an app that will empower and enable people with different impairments by giving them information on accessibility and career opportunities. So yes, this is the first step of expansion of Wings Of Angelz into supporting people beyond just mobility impairment," she added. 

• UAE
• Dubai