Week 15: Final Reflections

Have 15 weeks gone by already? This student finds that time feels as though it moves faster than ever. After browsing through my previous discussion board and blog posts, assignments, and SWOT analysis project notes, I have noticed a shift in attitude toward aging and people with disabilities between the writing of my initial assumptions about aging and people with disabilities to this last journal reflection post. My initial assumptions were strongly based on negative personal experiences growing up with a parent with a disability. At this point, my revised assumptions are now based on a more positive attitude toward aging and people with disabilities.


The activities and assignments for this course led me to choose a topic related to universal access for my research proposal assignment in another course. My research proposal explored the attitudes of public and academic library staff toward patrons with physical and mental disabilities. One of the most important things I have learned over the past semester is the significant role library or information agency staff attitudes play as an invisible barrier to accessibility for all. A library can have a stellar universal access policy and accessibility services strategic plan in place, but if library staff have a negative attitude or hold stereotypes toward aging adults and people with disabilities, then the chances of that library providing quality universal access services are slim. It is vital that LIS education provide courses on universal access, and that libraries and information agencies provide their staff with attitudinal trainings and workshops.

This change in attitude is what I will bring to my current workplace and my future position as a professional librarian. My view of the information professional has expanded from simply one who helps connect others to information to one who meets the information needs of every population, and the information professional must have a positive attitude toward aging adults and people with disabilities in order to fully live up to their role as a professional. After all, the library is the last place in the world where information seekers should face barriers of any kind.

Week 12: Universal Access Reflections

Universal access and universal design for libraries and other information agencies goes beyond meeting ADA facility requirements - universal access applies to web design, technology, materials in a variety of formats, and staff attitudes (yes, attitudes). Applying the principles of universal access to every aspect of the library does present challenges. For example, a print bias can get in the way of a expanding an audio book collection, and biases against other media and new technology can also prevent progress in, say, creating an accessible-for-all computer lab (Norman, 2003).

It may be surprising that librarians with print and technology biases exist at a time when a large part of the LIS field is keeping up with emerging, accessible technologies. However, considering that attitudinal barriers do affect library services to people with disabilities and hold back the implementation of universal access policies, maybe it is not so shocking after all. According to Carter (2004), library staff attitudes toward people with disabilities are a difficult barrier to universal access. Changing staff attitudes can be a difficult, but not impossible process. Carter suggests attitudinal, facility, and service and legal training can all work together to help change staff attitudes. Attitudinal trainings that use role-playing to reveal existing attitudes, or facility trainings that have staff simulate a person that uses a wheelchair create a greater sense of awareness of the needs of all patrons.

Universal access and universal design are not just for people with disabilities - as the term "universal" is defined, it is about equitable access for all users. Architectural, technological, and collection changes that are made with accessibility in mind not only benefit people with disabilities, but people of all abilities. Previous class discussions have covered the universal benefits of information agency updates geared toward people with disabilities that make the agency more accessible for everyone. The most common example is a wheelchair ramp or automated doors that also benefit a parent with a large stroller. Library signage with enlarged type makes signs easier to read for all, not just those with low vision. Those are just two of several examples of how universal access positively affects all of an information agency's patrons.

References

Carter, C.J. (2004). Providing services for students with disabilities in an academic library. Education Libraries 27(2 ), 13-18.


Norman, M.R. (2003). On my mind: Universal design and public libraries. American Libraries, 34(5), 35.

Local Library Visit, Part 2

My local library, the Antioch Branch Library, part of the larger Contra Costa County Library system, offers services to children, teens, adults, seniors, and adults with disabilities. Regular library programs include storytimes, book clubs for all ages, a knitting/crocheting group, and a teen action group. The library's collection includes Spanish materials, audio books, and large print materials. Assistive technology - magnifiers, Dewey pictograms, large screen monitors, trackball mouse, etc. - is made available at every branch library. The Antioch branch also includes a Merlin 24 inch screen LCD desktop video magnifier.


For children struggling to read, two Early Literacy Computer Stations are available (one station also includes a bilingual Spanish edition), as well as a Read to the Dogs Program. Inclusive storytimes are also in the works for future children's programs. For adults with reading disabilites, the county library system offers Project Second Chance (PSC), which provides free, one-on-one basic literacy instruction to adults who are over 16, currently not in school and able to converse in English. One of the two PSC offices is located at the Antioch Library. Adults with developmental disabilities can take advantage of a monthly library program called the Wednesday Club, a partnership between members of Contra Costa ARC (Advocacy, Respect, Commitment) Inroads and the library. ARC Inroads is a 100% community-based program that teaches independent living skills to adults with developmental disabilites. Lastly, the library recruits volunteers from Futures Explored, Inc.'s ALIVE (Actively Living and Involved in a Variety of Endeavors) program, which provides life skills and work-related training to adults with developmental disabilities.

The adult and teen services librarian plans programs and outreach to seniors and adults with disabilities. In her absence, the children's librarian can step in to plan those programs. While the librarians plan the programs, input regarding programs for seniors and adults with disabilities is welcome from all staff persons.

The library's programs, outreach, and staff play a significant role in empowering populations, such as seniors and adults with disabilities, to take advantage of the library and all it has to offer. Those three factors - programs, outreach, and staff - combine as a sort of big welcoming committee to the various populations withhin the community. If a population feels welcome at the library, it removes a significant barrier to accessing the library's resources. The Urban Library Council's review of the Antioch Library's innovative Wednesday Club (2010) noted that library staff made members of ARC Inroads feel comfortable and welcome in the library by offering a tour of the library, including an overview of how to use the self-service machines and how to ask for help at the information desk. The initial step of providing a comforting and welcome environment for this population paved the way for ARC Inroads members to continue to actively use their library and its information resources.

References

Urban Libraries Council. (2010). Wednesday club. Retrived from
     http://www.urbanlibraries.org/wednesday-club-innovation-424.php?page_id=90

Digital Differences

The first time I heard about the digital divide was in LIS 6010: Introduction to the Profession. The digital divide was defined as the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” of Internet access, with the “haves” generally defined as middle-class, well-educated, white individuals with access to high-speed internet at home and the “have-nots” as those with a low-income household, low education, non-white background, and no home internet access. The “have” and “have nots” definition was used as early as 1995, as seen in the U.S. Department of Commerce's survey of the “have nots” in rural and urban America – for the purposes of this survey, the digital divide was measured by one's access to a modem and personal computer (1995).

Current definitions of the digital divide include references to digital literacy skills, now that increased access to the latest technology in the form of laptops, cell phones, and gaming systems has spread among low-income families. Digital literacy, according to the definition provided by the American Library Association's (ALA) Digital Literacy Task Force is “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information requiring both cognitive and technical skills” (Visser, 2012). Even the Federal Communications Commission, which is still focused on increasing access to computing devices, recognizes the importance of digital literacy alongside the issue of the digital divide (Richtel, 2012).

Older adults and people with a disability are still behind in terms of digital access. According to the Pew Internet's "Digital Differences" study (2012), senior citizens are one of the least likely groups of adults to have internet access. Adults living with a disability are less likely than adults without a disability to use the internet - in some cases, certain disabilities make it difficult/impossible to use the internet. The study found that the main reason non-internet users, such as seniors, avoid accessing the internet is that they are just not interested - access has little to do with it.

Public libraries in the United States offer public internet services, technology trainings, ebooks, and additional services that connect people and technology. Many public libraries also offer technology services to seniors and people with disabilities by providing assistive technology and trainings specifically for special populations, and making sure access to public computers and the library's website is ADA-compliant. Public libraries already do what they can to close the digital divide, and one of the steps libraries should take now is find ways to maintain or expand their technology services to seniors and people with disabilities despite the threats of budget cuts. 

References

U.S. Department of Commerce. (1995). Falling through the net: A survey of the "have nots" in rural and urban america.

     Retrieved from http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fallingthru.html.

Richtel, M. (May 29, 2012). Wasting time is the new divide in the digital era. New York 

     Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/us/new-digital-divide-seen-in-  

     wasting-time-online.html?smid=pl-share

Visser, M. (2012). Defining digital literacy. Retrieved from  

     http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/04/defining-digital-literacy/

Zickuhr, K., Smith, A. (2012). Digital differences. Retrieved from 

     http://pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2012/PIP_Digital_differences_041312.pdf

Mid-Semester Analysis and Reflections

If this blog is to be part of my e-portfolio, then I have some work to do regarding the professionalism of my writing. Several of my blog entries walk a fine line between casual and quasi-scholarly writing, and that is something I will clean up in the coming weeks. It will be good practice to maintain a scholarly bent in all of my posts, whether it is here or on the discussion board.

Speaking of scholarly, as I read through my blogs posts thus far, I keep thinking of ways to thread some of the topics into practical application in my current work as a library paraprofessional and in my future work as a professional. I am interested in expanding on the topic of Disability culture and oppression, as well aging individuals and oppression, and I am continually thinking of ways to turn this topic into a research proposal for my LIS 7996 course that will also serve as valuable research for my own library community.

For the remainder of this semester, I want to revisit my assumptions from the beginning of the semester as a write each new blog post. I am curious to see what assumptions were challenged, and if any have stayed the same.

Journal Activity, Week 8: Disability Culture

Why is knowledge of Disability culture important to library and information professionals/practitioners? What barriers exist in library and information agencies for individuals with disabilities? How can LIS practitioners leverage this knowledge to reduce barriers to information access? 

Knowledge of Disability culture is vital to library and information professionals because it effects their ability to provide excellent customer service and programs for persons with disabilities. This reminds me of the introduction to chapter 6 in our Novak textbook, which started with a story about fitness instructor Bart Hircus, who couldn't figure out why his standard fitness program for seniors did not appeal to residents of a Native American senior center. As it turned out, the residents had a very different view of Bart's concept of exercise - to them, exercised equaled hard, unpaid work. Bart learned to adjust his exercise program for minority senior groups by learning about the group's culture first, and then tailoring the program accordingly.

Another anecdote on the importance of a library knowing a community group's culture: About two years ago my local library featured author Omar Tyree (Flyy Girl) as the speaker for the summer reading program. Omar Tyree's books were popular with the library's African-American patrons, and the library expected Tyree's event to attract a large crowd. Fewer than 50 people showed up for the event. Several patrons said they would have loved to attend, but the event was on a Sunday at the same time as their church services. Know your community's culture.

With that in mind, librarians should take the time to gain an understanding of disability culture in order to better inform the development of universal access policies and library services for those with disabilities. As I mentioned briefly in my last blog post, staff diversity training should include knowledge of Disability culture, if it is not included already. A big barrier at the library for individuals with disabilities is encountering an information services staff does not have the knowledge to assist patrons with disabilities and employs the use of disability stereotypes, or having a local library that lacks  specialized programs for patrons with disabilities.

The Wednesday Club at the Antioch Library is a wonderful example of how a library can take proactive steps to break down barriers between patrons with disabilities and information access.

Journal Activity: Week 7

The standard Merriam-Webster definition of oppression: unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power. A Google search for "definition: oppression" acknowledges oppression not only as a cruel exercise of authority, but a prolonged cruel exercise of authority. The National Youth Leadership Network  uses simple language to describe oppression, defining it as "using power to keep someone down." Finally, Mackelprang (2009) defines the oppression of people with disabilities as ableism or disableism (the latter term seems to be the preferable term on the disability advocates blogosphere), a bias that gives preference to people that appear to be able-bodied.

Mackelprang breaks down the long history of oppression against individuals with invisible and visible disabilities - from the Neolithic tribes belief that evil spirits caused disabilities to the genocide of disabled persons in Nazi Germany. Like many minority groups, Disability culture has shouldered a history of oppression that has worked its way into policy and common stereotypes held by modern society. Persons with disabilities are stereotyped as objects to be pitied or coddled, freaks, burdensome, or sick. 

This paragraph is slightly off-topic. I wanted to take a moment and mention that disableism is very real. My class members know that, but this is for the benefit of the anonymous Internet visitor that may deny disableism exists (you know, just like there are individuals that believe racism no longer exists). I have a parent with an invisible disability. Certain cultures believe the disability is caused by the devil. Other people are afraid of my parent's disability - it's the type of fear people harbor when they don't know much about the disability in question. Employers are not likely to hire someone with my parent's disability. What I am getting at is that everything is fine until someone finds out about the disability - my parent is treated like any able-bodied person because they appear able-bodied. Doors are shut when the invisible disability comes to light.

Anyway. Back to the discussion. Persons with disabilities can, unfortunately, experience oppression at libraries and other information agencies, even if they are visiting the most accessibility-friendly library in the nation. This less to do with the library/information agency's ADA compliance and more to do with staff training in sensitivity to persons with disabilities. Library staff may not know how to interact with patrons with disabilities - staff could make the mistake of addressing the disability instead of the person, or they could hold any of the common disability stereotypes. If a library patron with a disability feels uncomfortable seeking information from staff due to disableism, then that creates a barrier to accessing information services.

A similar concept of oppression can be applied to older adults, as many of the disability stereotypes can be applied to aging individuals. Ageism is a prejudice that hurts older adults, and the stereotypes about aging can keep older individuals from employment, social activities, or social services, for example.

Journal Activity: Getting to Know Your Local Community

How does my local community encourage senior participation in the community? Starting with the my local public and academic libraries' website and branching out to other city agencies' websites, I investigated any advertised programs, opportunities, and classes made specifically for older adults. Only two agencies, the Antioch Senior Center and the Antioch Recreation Department, list activities that are specifically for seniors. The other agencies listed have volunteer opportunities that would likely appeal to seniors, even though they are not the target audience.

While the Antioch Senior Center (ASC) provides a variety of activities and programs (including tap dance, computer classes, and driving courses), it could certainly use a better web presence. Its current location, a page on the City of Antioch's website, is out of date - the ASC Newsletter hasn't been uploaded since September 2011, and the ASC officers listed are current as of 2007. The only way one can find out about what the ASC offers is through the ad in Antioch's Fall 2012 Recreation Guide online, or by calling the center directly. A decent website with an updated newsletter, current calendar of activities, photos of past events, the weekly menu for the CoCo Cafe, and links to other city resources would help the ASC reach a broader audience, including seniors that prefer finding information online or information professionals that are seeking ASC information on behalf of a patron.

I have never seen advertisements for the ASC anywhere besides the city's quarterly recreation guide, so I am unsure if the center collaborates with any other organization in the city. Collaborating with other organizations would be a great way to not only improve upon the current offering of programs at the ASC, but it also would be a great advertising tool. Just off the top of my head, here are some of the local organizations that ASC could pair up with: Opportunity Junction, Kaiser, Sutter Delta Medical Center, Homeless Animal Lifeline Organization, Antioch Historical Society, Los Medanos College, Antioch Adult Education, and the Antioch and Prewett Branch Libraries.


Within the city of Antioch, CA:

Contra Costa County Library - Antioch Branch: There are no programs specifically for older adults listed on the Antioch Library's online event calendar at this time. However, there is a link to the Antioch Community Center, which offers classes for seniors through the city's recreation department and links to the Antioch Senior Citizens Club, which also has a full schedule of activities, classes, and programs. Volunteer opportunities are also available at the library and the senior center.

Antioch Historical Society: Part of the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, the historical society has several volunteer opportunities  that would appeal to seniors looking for meaningful volunteer work. This would be an excellent opportunity for older individuals that are interested in promoting Antioch's history.

The Volunteer Center of the East Bay: a search for volunteer opportunities within both of Antioch's zip codes results in several volunteer jobs that might appeal to seniors.

Neighboring cities (within 5-10 miles of Antioch):

Contra Costa County Library - Oakley Branch: The closest event I could find is a NaNoWriMo Write-In, and the event description lists seniors as one of the target groups in addition to adults and teens.

Contra Costa County Library - Pittsburg Branch: No programs specifically geared toward seniors are offered at this time. There is a link to the City of Pittsburg's website, which has a page for the Pittsburg Senior Center - but links for important information, such as class schedules and center programs, do not work.

Los Medanos College Library (Pittsburg, CA): No senior programs or classes offered.

Educational opportunities within Contra Costa County:

Contra Costa County Library - Education Guide: One tab of this guide is dedicated to resources for adult learners, including the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, East Bay, which is advertised as a learning environment for the 50+ crowd and offers classes at the Concord, CA campus of CSUEB.

Journal Activity: Week 4

0. Novak, M. (2011). Issues in Aging. 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.  
   

Discussion questions, p. 197

3. What are the demographic forces that will account for the increase in the older minority group population in the future? Do the forces vary for different minority groups? If so, how? What effect will this increase have on American society?

Mortality, fertility, and migration are the demographic forces that will account for the increase in the older minority group population - the population is expected to double by 2050. These demographic forces do vary for different minority groups - for instance, Latino Americans have high levels of fertility (Mexican Americans have a high birth rate and a large number of young adults) and immigration (Cuban Americans make up 14% of the over 65 Latino population), both of which will add to the growth of its older minority population in the future. The Asian Pacific Island group is not mentioned as having a high birth rate, but many of their subgroups have an elderly population that either has a long history in the United States, such as Chinese Americans and Japanese Americans, or are recent immigrants, as is the case with Vietnamese and Cambodian elderly people. Across the board, minority groups have a long life expectancy. With these three demographic forces combined, the growing minority older population is expected to put a strain on family supports and turn to formal healthcare and social services support, which will have to adapt to the needs of the minority elderly population.

9. What barriers keep Asian Americans from getting the social supports they need as they age? Do some of these barriers apply to other minority groups? How can social service agencies overcome these barriers?

To answer the first question: language and cultural barriers, the same barriers that keep other minority groups from accessing formal support or other city, county, and public services (think of the people in the community that do not use the library because of a language barrier). Many Asian adults follow the cultural expectation of caring for their elderly parents, and they often seek assistance from formal support to help care for their parents. For older Asian people that live alone and lack family supports, formal social services are essential, but difficult to access when language and cultural barriers get in the way. Social services agencies could improve their services to the needs of their Asian American clients - or any minority group that is prevented from accessing social services due to language/cultural barriers -  by providing diversity training, hiring bilingual or multilingual social workers, and client education programs (certainly something a library program could provide).

Media Representations

How are aging individuals and individuals with disabilities portrayed in mass media? I perused the following media to find out:

Magazines: Due to convenience, I reviewed magazine titles owned by my local library - it's closer than visiting the nearest Barnes & Noble. Browsing through the current issues of high-circulating titles such as Glamour, Vanity Fair, People, Entertainment Weekly, Us Weekly, Sports Illustrated, Time, Newsweek and Vanidades revealed little to no portrayals of aging individuals or individuals with disabilities. Magazines that focused on beauty and fashion contained ads for anti-aging products, but of course did not feature an actual older individual in the advertisement. Back issues of Time did, however, feature stories about the 2012 Paralympics and Paralympics and London 2012 Olympics athlete Oscar Pistorius. I also found an ad in Ebony for CVS pharmacy, which featured an older woman, the tagline "Managing my prescriptions is not how I want to spend my life," and a brief introduction of the woman's active lifestyle. Another good article featuring active aging individuals appeared in ESPN The Magazine's October 1, 2012 issue (personal subscription, not library owned). Titled "Senior Moments," the article highlights older jocks (including a 92-year-old volleyball player) and their lifelong passion for competition.

Newspapers: A recent review of articles from the past month on the San Francisco Chronicle's online presence, sfgate.com, uncovered articles about the California School for the Blind's new adapted tennis classes, a story about the sad situation of the aging "San Francisco Twins" Marian and Vivian Brown, and an elderly driver that hit 14 children in Los Angeles.

Television: I watched roughly three hours of television, and in that time I saw episodes of South Park, Futurama, the Boondocks, and American Dad. Oddly enough, South Park's portrayal of Jimmy, a character with cerebral palsy that walks with crutches, was balanced and positive - Jimmy is not the butt of any jokes, and participates in many of the same activities as the main characters despite his handicap (he actually appears regularly in many South Park episodes). The same can be said of American Dad's portrayal of Joe Swanson, a paraplegic police officer that is still able to perform his job duties. Futurama and the Boondocks both feature aging individuals as main characters, the senile mad scientist Professor and selfish, slightly out of touch Robert "Granddad" Freeman, respectively.

Films: Part of my three-hour television binge included watching a little bit of Diminished Capacity, a film about a man (Matthew Broderick) struggling with memory loss who is also helping his uncle, suffering from Alzheimer's, find enough money to stay at home with live-in care.

Overall, the representations of aging individuals and individuals with disabilities in the media review above were surprisingly realistic and/or positive. I say "surprisingly" because I expected at least half of the portrayals to be suspect to current stereotypes and biases toward the two groups, but the senile/grouchy old man stereotypes I did see occurred in only two portrayals, that of Professor from Futurama and Granddad from Boondocks, and even then, the stereotypical characteristics were small parts of a three-dimensional character. A majority of the media representations of aging individuals focused on the active lifestyles of aging individuals - this was evident from the CVS pharmacy ad and the "Senior Moments" article, which promoted the idea that age is just a number. The media representations are not far off from my personal interactions with aging individuals - the aging individuals I know, through the library or the gym, maintain very active post-retirement lifestyles, whether they're visiting family, taking care of grandchildren, volunteering at several facilities, or traveling. However, I did note that the representations of individuals in both categories, aging and individuals with disabilities, were mostly white - there was very little diversity.

What I didn't review: the print edition of Ability, which was available at the library, but I was looking for magazines geared toward the general population rather than specialized populations. Anyway, the Aug/Sep 2012 issue featured the ladies from the Sundance Channel's reality show Push Girls (glamorous women defying stereotypes of being in a wheelchair). How have I not heard about this show? Apparently it received plenty of publicity before its first season, and now the show has been renewed for 2013. Check out an interview with the show's stars here.

Journal Activity: Week 1

(Note: I used my blog for last week's introduction - please see the previous post for my introduction and reflection about what I would like to learn and accomplish in this class.)

My assumptions regarding aging and disabilities come from three major experiences in my life: growing up with a parent with a disability (epilepsy), working at the public library, and watching my grandparents and other close relatives age. I want to believe that one can still live a fulfilling life even as one experiences the physical and mental changes of growing older, or the challenges that come with having a disability - I've seen it happen. I've also seen quite the opposite happen - a grandparent paralyzed after a stroke and unable to care for herself anymore, or a parent unable to apply for jobs that require a valid driver's license because their disability prevents them from driving. I've had older library patrons apologize for talking too much at the information desk, and they often explain that they're old, lonely (friends are dead, their children don't keep in touch), and unable to get out as often as they used to. It's very depressing.

On that note, here are my assumptions about what I believe to be true about disabilities and aging:

1) Getting older or having a disability is difficult, physically and mentally. It can oftentimes be a lonely experience as well.

2) The ability to maintain a high quality of life as one ages or as one lives with a disability depends on one's support group and financial situation. For those aging adults and individuals that have the support of friends and family, plus a stable financial situation, their quality of life will most likely be very good. For those without those two things, they're going to have a rough time.

3) Aging and disabled individuals need an advocate. Yes, you can be your own advocate, but there are times when you need someone else to fight on your behalf, whether it's for a job, housing, medical services, etc.

Getting to know you

Dear LIS 7850 Classmates,

Greetings! My name is Courtney Diputado, and I was born and raised in San Francsico, CA. I currently reside in East Contra Costa County (part of the San Francisco Bay Area) and work as a library assistant for the Contra Costa County Library. I graduated from La Sierra University in Riverside, CA with a BA in English: Literature. This is my second-to-last semester as an online student at Wayne State University, and I am very excited at the prospect of graduating in June 2013. While my work experience is based in public librarianship and my MLIS degree has no specialization, my career goal is to work as an academic librarian at a community college. My immediate career goal post-graduation: find a full-time job (ha!).

As someone who assists individuals of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities at the public library on a daily basis, and yet has minimal training in accessibility for all - my first and last library accessibility training was five years ago during new employee orientation - I hope this class will help fill the gaping holes in my knowledge of universal access so I can provide better customer service to all library patrons. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable helping patrons with disabilities, not because I'm afraid of their disability, but due to the fact that I lack the knowledge to fully understand their disability and am likely to provide inadequate assistance as a result. 

Moving on to group projects: if you need a hard-working, reliable teammate, call me - I'll take on any task, will communicate with the group regularly, and am fairly flexible with online meeting times. I prefer reliable, easygoing, and communicative teammates. Nearly every LIS course I've taken so far required at least one group project, and at this stage of the program I have a good idea of what works and what doesn't work in a group project.

Outside of school and work, I am a part-time Zumba® fitness instructor, and am licensed to teach Aqua Zumba®, Zumbatomic®, and Zumba® Toning. I have been teaching for almost a year, and I love every minute of it. On occasion, I use the word "hella." When time permits, I play video games and read manga. I like Hello Kitty (nay, I am obsessed with all things Hello Kitty) and the San Francisco Giants. I am convinced that every problem and life situation can be solved with pizza.

Looking forward to working and interacting with all of you this semester!

Courtney