As Liv interns at FASD United, she will be sharing the things she is learning and doing to inspire and explore FASD awareness through a public health lens. In her time with our organization, she will have opportunities to experience the roundedness of our programs, aid in important projects, and explore her understanding through reflection.

“This week at FASD United I had many new insights. I would first like to mention that I got to work in the new office space on Tuesday. It was great to finally meet some of the team members in person and get to explore the new office. It is in a gorgeous building and is in my favorite area of D.C., so I am so excited to go in every Tuesday!

Last week, I mentioned how I was excited to learn more about what appropriate language to use when discussing FASD and how to destigmatize FASD. This week, I was really able to dive into the topic. In many of my health classes, my teachers often emphasize the importance of language, especially in the field of public health. Language is a powerful tool that should be used to empower an individual instead of harming or offending someone. By using appropriate language, we can help shift from an emphasis on blame towards an individual or family and instead help understand that there are many complex factors involved with FASD.

Using the appropriate language can also help emphasize the capabilities and potentials of people with FASD instead of focusing on any limitations or challenges that individuals may face. I feel that language is something that is often overlooked, as a lot of people use stigmatizing and insensitive language without knowing or understanding. However, FASD United is making many strides to positively promote change in communication so we can help reduce the stigma surrounding FASD.

I would also like to highlight the research that I did for the Weekly Roundup. This week, the stories I found mostly involved recent public health initiatives that positively affect the FASD community. One initiative that I thought was very admirable was Air Canada’s Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program. This program employs customers to wear a sunflower symbol, a discreet one, to identify any passengers or customers that have a hidden disability. The Sunflower Program initially started at the Gatwick Airport in London in 2016 and has spread throughout Europe. Crew members can now see who is wearing a sunflower symbol and can acknowledge that they might have specific needs or require additional assistance. I thought this was a brilliant idea and should be a program that is implemented not just for travel but in institutions and public spaces we use daily. This could lead to clearer communication between individuals with FASD and individuals without FASD, or in general to establish that an individual might need additional support.

The last thing I want to mention is the project I am working on for National Social Work Month which is the month of March. I worked on coming up with questions I would want to ask an FASD-informed social worker. I specifically would be really interested in learning about what communication strategies are the most efficient in building trust with clients as well as the steps in developing individualized interventions for clients since we know that FASD will look different with everyone.

Looking forward, I’m excited to start working on some more policy-based projects. I am fascinated by public health policy, and it is definitely something I want to implement in my future career. I want to start doing my own research on my own state and county’s policies surrounding FASD and alcohol in general so I can grow my understanding. Overall, I had another wonderful week at FASD and cannot wait to be back in the new space on Tuesday.”

Reflection from 1/29 to 2/2 2024