Introduction to IIC

The Inclusive Innovators Club, a student organization dedicated to accessibility for disabled children, introduces their cause to James Logan High School.

Diwa Sadozai

September 21, 2023

The IIC's summer visit to a NHUSD elementary school, picture of a disabled student, playing with an adaptive toy.

“Join us to Spark Joy in Lives.” 

…the Inclusive Innovators write on their main website page. Their goal is to provide accessibility for the many disabled children through the form of assistive technology. Through toys, awareness, and policy change, the IIC introduces a change for the small, toddler-sized voices out there which are so often disregarded.

Speaking to Unnati Seshadri, the president of IIC, she speaks about how the inspiration and motive to build her club was due to her differently-abled cousin, who she observed, struggled to perform basic tasks that other children would easily be able to do. Her cousin could not play with ordinary toys, even if she tried her hardest. It was not in her power. 

However, Unnati had the power to change that.

When researching, Unnati realized that the cost difference between adaptive toys and basic toys was considerably significant. The simple observation that just accessibility for disabled children would require so much money and resources was enough for Unnati to commit to giving another much, much more attainable option to the children of NHUSD.

The Inclusive Innovators Club is part of the much, much bigger Makers Making Change chapter, an international humanitarian organization. (Unnati’s IIC is the first to be introduced to the West Coast.)

James Logan High School, where Unnati’s organization is based, was just introduced to this very agenda.

The Innovators had a sparkling blue display for their organization, and sitting front and center was Snowie (the first ever toy made in the club to represent their commitment to growing accessibility for disabled children.)

Students were intrigued by Snowie, the first-ever accessibility toy created by Unnati, and the subtle but considerably fruitful alternative for those who don’t live our day-to-day, effortless reality. 

From the sparkling display to the sparkling purpose, it is safe to say the Inclusive Innovators dominated the Club Fair, with a whopping number of 139 sign-ups. 

When signing up for the club, various students were interviewed with questions like, “how to make Logan’s environment more welcoming?” or “how can we spread awareness about the struggles of disabled children?”  

Ms. Villegas, an Ethnic Studies teacher at James Logan, gave a dazzling response, “Oftentimes, we’re in our own little box. We stay in our own community. And we don’t get exposed to folks that have a different reality. So just opportunities to meet and interact with students that are differently-abled will provide students that are not differently-abled an idea of what it’s like. And know that…we’re all just people.”

The amount of considerable attention from students showed up for the club’s first Monday meeting. All members walked through the door with enthusiasm and a great interest in the club’s humanitarian agenda. 

Leah Kim, the Policy Change and Advocacy Leader for IIC thinks that, “the club works directly for the betterment of disadvantaged students in the district. If my advocacy wasn’t here, personally making a difference, where else would it be?”

This past summer, the founders had the unique opportunity to volunteer at Searles Elementary and Cesar Chavez Middle School: where they introduced Snowie to the Special Education students and staff, and had a wonderful time interacting with/learning more about the community!

Evidently, the Inclusive Innovators have already started to pave a path in the community. 

The furtherance of our community, and especially the children, is the shine of the future. And starting at the core, and focusing on the happiness of the children who need the greatest amount of help, is what IIC stands for. 

“It’s not a job,” Unnati says, “and it’s not some after-school extracurricular activity, either. I’m making a commitment to these kids, and I fully intend to hold myself accountable.”