Kathy Munson, a Senior Library Technician at De Anza College, knows more than anyone a book cover is only skin deep.
Living 46 years handicapped from Cerebral Palsy (CP) has taught her what it’s like to be the book that gets picked up and put right back down again, until someone decides to open to page one.
CP, a debilitating birth defect caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain during delivery, limited Munson’s muscular functions, but did not affect the functions responsible for her intelligence.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from UC Berkeley and a master’s from San Jose State University in Library and Information Science, which she has used to serve De Anza students for the last fifteen years.
Upon accepting her first job out of college, Munson knew she would be working amongst thousands of young people who may not have been exposed to someone with CP before.
“I wasn’t sure if people would accept me or not. I thought it would be a lot harder, but almost everyone at De Anza College has been fantastic and very accepting since day one,” said Munson.
Though appreciative of her positive experiences at De Anza so far, Munson says, “I think people should know that having a disability doesn’t mean you have a sickness-they’re two different things.”
Some have even assumed Munson was mentally challenged.
“That happens when you sit in a chair, no matter what your disability is,” she said, “People assume you’re intellectually not all together because you’re in a chair or because you’re blind or because you walk with a cane.”
Munson admits life is more challenging with CP, but she remains optimistic.
“There are times I would not like to be disabled because it would just be easier, but it’s not tragic. I just have extra baggage that goes with my every day,” she said, “One advantage I have is I get to expose people to the disabled. They become less fearful and assuming. They’re usually just afraid of offending me because they don’t know how to act or what to say.”
“A lot of times when I go out to dinner with a friend, the server will ask my friend what I would like to order. Sometimes I catch myself doing the same thing to kids or disabled people who don’t talk, before knowing whether or not they are capable of ordering on their own,” she said, “Even I can assume things without realizing it.”
As the 2012 school year kicks off, Munson encourages students to find harmony amongst one another through all their differences.
“Diversity and acceptance comes from just getting to know everybody-who they are and where they come from-and learning to appreciate everyone for their differences,” she said, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re curious about something. That’s how you learn. People don’t know until they ask.”
