Deja and Mah’Kiyah wanted to bring students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) together to collaborate on creating digital content. Through the Inclusive Vlogging Project, they set out to raise awareness about inclusion in their school community while empowering students to learn the basics of content development and videography.

The project grew out of a Youth Exchange between Washington, DC, and a Special Olympics Latin America Program. Through the Exchange, Youth Leaders worked together to identify challenges related to inclusion in their communities and design and implement projects to address them.
Throughout the project, mentors provided guidance and encouragement, supporting students in developing their content and coordinating a publishing schedule to feature each student’s video. They also helped establish the project’s social media accounts and secure the equipment needed to bring the initiative to life.
The project began with an introductory workshop where participants learned the fundamentals of vlogging, video storytelling, and editing. Using smartphones, cameras, and accessible editing tools like iMovie and CapCut, students gained hands-on experience creating engaging digital content.

Following the workshop, students formed small Unified teams to brainstorm ideas, develop scripts, and film social media videos promoting inclusion in their school community.

To celebrate their work, participants, teachers, and volunteers gathered for a group screening of the finished videos. The event highlighted students’ creativity and teamwork before their videos were shared on TikTok, extending their message of inclusion to friends, families, and the wider school community.
Deja and Mah'Kiyfelt that their objective was far exceeded. They originally hoped to introduce Special Olympics to their school community while highlighting inclusion that was already happening. Through this project, they showcased events and student interactions that exhibited everyday inclusion.

Through posting videos and photos to the Special Olympics District of Columbia TikTok and Instagram, the project reached students both in and outside of the school community.

They will continue to sustain the project's activities by keeping their established social media page active. They also plan to continue attending different events and activities at school and showcasing the inclusion that happens in their school community. It is their plan to set an example for other school districts,eventually scaling their project beyond their school and throughout the district.
Deja and Mah’Kiyah felt the project exceeded their original goals. While they initially hoped to introduce Special Olympics to their school community and highlight existing examples of inclusion, the project provided a platform to showcase the everyday interactions, activities, and events that bring students together.

By sharing videos and photos on Special Olympics District of Columbia’s TikTok and Instagram accounts, the Youth Leaders reached students both within and beyond their school community, spreading awareness about the importance of inclusion.

Looking ahead, Deja and Mah’Kiyah plan to sustain the project by keeping their social media accounts active and continuing to attend school events and activities to capture and celebrate inclusive experiences. Their long-term vision is to inspire other schools to follow their example and eventually expand the initiative across the district.