The afternoon of our first Zoom call, I started a Group-Me group chat, where these friends could invite their other immunocompromised friends. A bit later, I started a Snapchat group. Within days, our group of five had grown to more than 75–all of them attending our weekly Zoom gatherings. Over and over again, they shared how much they appreciated the support and encouragement of the group.
Despite the growing number of members, Cameron and I knew there were many others in need of support. As our numbers grew, so too did our original objectives. The more we learned of our audience’s needs, the more we wanted to accomplish. We wanted a place where we could:
- Support and encourage disabled and chronically ill college students
- Educate the friends, family, and other supporters of these students about the challenges facing their loved ones
- Educate others on the range of conditions represented by the group and the unique struggles and successes of each
- Redefine the impression many have when they think of people with disabilities, especially those with “hidden” disabilities–after all, an outwardly healthy 20-year-old college student isn’t what pops into your head when you hear the word “disabled”
- Raise awareness about how the actions of some can threaten the well-being of others–both physically and emotionally
Instagram, a platform already widely used by our core audience, seemed like the best platform to allow us to creatively accomplish all of our goals. We surveyed the students who regularly attended our meetings, and they confirmed this choice. With that mission in mind, I began designing!