Our goal was to support and encourage disabled and immunocompromised college students, educate others about the struggles and challenges of disabled and chronically ill college students, and offer suggestions for how we can make the world a more equitable place for the disabled community.  

Being a chronically ill college student myself (I have Type 1 diabetes), I understood firsthand the needs of the population we hoped to serve. However, I knew I needed to better understand the many other chronically ill and disabled students out there. To gain insight into the broader community, Cameron and I began gathering with a few other immunocompromised friends over Zoom. There were just five of us on that first Zoom call. During that first call, Cameron and I quickly realized we weren’t alone in our struggles. These other immunocompromised college students from across the country were all feeling the effects of isolation and frustration caused by the pandemic. 

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! 

I wanted the site to have a common look and feel, despite the variety of posts we would feature. I settled on this color palette and confirmed the design decision with a core group of our members who gave me regular feedback.

On any given day, I am challenged with creating designs that feature our various words of encouragement or featured facts. Here’s the evolution of one such design:

As the moderator for our account, I’ve definitely had to learn diplomacy skills! I’ve learned that in most cases, it’s best to ignore negative comments from those who don’t understand our purpose and are just looking for an argument. Responding to them only gives the light and attention they don’t deserve. This is easier said than done, but it’s a goal.

The Chronic & Iconic Instagram account has allowed me to combine two of my great passions: design and advocacy. It’s given me a platform to practice my design skills, apply classroom and professional lessons, and encourage my friends–all while promoting disability rights. Check out some of the press coverage from my advocacy work:

Like what you see?

I’m open to new opportunities and would love to hear from you.

samprice0618@gmail.com