“Portrait of Inclusion” from Portraits of Alameda
by Gail Jeidy

“Ann Donaca: Let’s talk about inclusion”

Ann Donaca grew up in Lake Oswego but has lived in the Alameda/Beaumont neighborhood for 31 years. I wasn’t surprised to learn she was a cheerleader in high school. She brings energy and enthusiasm to the room, an asset for her career as an elementary school teacher, then professor (teacher of teachers) at Portland State and Concordia Universities, and finally vice principal at an elementary school in a nearby district.

My friend group was very broad in high school; I wanted everyone to feel included. And then with teaching, I was always the teacher who had kids with trauma, or poverty, or behavioral things or disabilities placed in my general classroom before there were supports. Ann raised two kids in the neighborhood. Her daughter, Bobbi, is an educator and an artist. Her son, Cody, is an equity ambassador, a football coach, and a friend to many. In 2018, he also became the first Oregon student with Down syndrome to graduate college. May of his senior year, he came home, and he said, “where am I going to college, Mom?” And I said, “Oh, guess what? People like you, Cody, who have disabilities like Down syndrome, there’s nowhere for you to go in Oregon.” And then I started thinking, well, I work at Concordia University, so I went to talk with the Dean…

Ann officially retired from her vice-principal role last summer. Shortly after this interview, she had two yards of topsoil delivered to her yard. She dispersed it within a day (with Cody’s help). She loves making things grow, nurturing different levels of plants, and carving pathways. Gardening is a fitting metaphor for her lifework. My number one job now is as an advocate. And then it is running Bike First!, our week-long summer bike clinic, where we teach children, youth, and some adults with disabilities the skills needed to ride typical two-wheeler bikes. This is our 20th year.

We want kids with disabilities to have healthy, robust lives, be included in riding with their friends, and ride with their families. We also want to make systemic change, so kids and adults are not afraid of people with disabilities, and they are inviting them to their birthday parties, having them over to watch a football game.

We have breaks in between sessions, and we talk. What are you feeling? What are you learning? What are you sharing at your dinner table at night when you go home with your family? We have a lot of volunteers. We also have seven people on staff with disabilities, the majority of whom learned how to ride at Bike First!. We want people with disabilities in paid positions because it can be very difficult to find jobs. It’s important that they are seen, valued, give back, get paid, and are an integral part of the staff. Your leadership-by-example has had a ripple effect throughout Alameda and
beyond. I credit you as introducing me to the beauty of
“inclusivity.”

That’s what we've always been about. Cody loves his birthday parties, which are always inclusive. If Mattie was in town and Mattie wanted to come Mattie can come and Mattie can bring five friends who don’t know Cody because by the time they leave, they will know him and they will take steps towards acceptance of people with disabilities.

Each new school year, Ann introduced Cody to his classmates by sharing a stack of 8” by 10” photographs of him doing a variety of activities – at a baseball game, losing a tooth, riding a horse, eating ice cream – followed by a question: “Have you guys done that before?” The kids would then discuss what they had in common. She closed with a picture of his 23 chromosomes.

And I would have them count the two in each pair, except for number 21, there are three. That’s it. The only thing Cody has different.

So, how do you treat a friend? Let’s educate kids when they are little. Let’s talk about it. Let’s be inclusive. When I present to adults, one of the things I’ll ask is, “Any of you ever have somebody in your life with a lifelong disability? How about when you were growing up? Did you ever have them over for dinner? Did you ever have them at your birthday party? Did you ever play date?”

Very few say yes. So, once again, it’s how do you make systemic change? Well, you’ve got to talk about it. You’ve got to be open about it. Over the years, Ann listened to her son and then figured out a way to support his next steps, whether it was getting a cellphone (she eventually said yes), walking to middle school (she’d drive him past the school each day so he could meet up with a supportive group of friends who walked), driving a car (he got his chance on a three mph drive on the beach, radio blaring), getting a debit card (before, they set up tabs for him with the aid of neighborhood businesses.)

I think by Cody being so warm, so loving, so fun, it probably helped break down a lot of barriers. Also, it’s that spirit of community that the Alameda area has that’s been so beautiful because people have embraced him and have wanted to know him…The entire community is Cody’s family. It’s why we are still here. He has his bus lines. He will see teachers at Beaumont who are still there. He has Alameda and Grant. Cody can be riding his bike down the street and people know who he is.

Ann and Cody sat in aisle seats in the second row when President Biden came to town in 2022. After his speech, Biden, surrounded by Secret Service, immediately saw Cody’s handprinted sign and stopped to chat. When Cody gushed, “I love you Mr. President,” Biden gave him a hug. The heartfelt gesture wasn’t an orchestrated moment, but it was picture-perfect.