For many families, traditions can be some of the most important things they pass on to their children. For the members of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, the parade is one of these traditions. It is something passed down over many years, and it’s a way to feel connected to the grandparents and great grandparents who were part of establishing the parade in St. Louis by keeping it going year after year. Teah Griffin and Meghan Minden both felt a strong connection to the parade, Meghan through the generations of her family and Teah, through her husband’s family.
Being able to participate in the parade is important to both women, so when Meghan’s friend on the parade committee attended every year but did not bring her children to the parade itself, she wanted to know what could be done. One of her friend's children is on the autism spectrum, meaning the noises and stimuli of the parade were too overwhelming for him to attend. Meghan decided to reach out to Teah, as she was another mom on the committee with young children to see what could be done, and learned that Teah had a friend in a similar situation. Teah’s husband’s best friend, Parade Director Kevin Udina, had a wife and child who missed out on the parade every year, which was causing concern for her. Kevin’s son has special needs that include sensitivity to sensory overstimulation as well. The two agreed that the issue needed to be addressed so that everyone could attend the parade.
However, first they had to determine how to solve the issue, something neither of them felt confident in, so they reached out to Jenny Crowe, whose daughter receives services from Easterseals Midwest’s autism services program. Jenny agreed that making a space that would be a more sensory friendly parade viewing was something that was needed, and the three reached out to Easterseals to make that concept a reality.
At the start of the project, the support was limited to committee members who had loved one or friends with disabilities. Despite many committee members being unfamiliar with sensory friendly areas, they were open to hearing about the impact an inclusive space could provide. Teah, Meghan, and Jenny were dedicated to this project and persistent in convincing the committee that the event could only survive if it was inclusive to all. The efforts were rewarded when the committee not only granted this project more funds than expected but also became more aware of the need for inclusion in our community. Teah commented:
It’s such a gift that we can give everyone…Friends that become family. If we can show the community what we do as a committee, it ensures the longevity. This is part of that…We care that everyone can be there.
By building this space, not only have these women shown a passion for inclusion and the parade’s commitment to providing an event for the entire community, but they’ve also ensured that more people can keep the traditions that mean so much to their families alive. While the inclusive viewing space was only open to committee members’ family and friends in order as proof of concept, next year, it will be open to the public, making the event more meaningful to the St. Louis community.
