She Would Dye for Gulfport
This ADA Expert Calls Gulfport Home – and Adds Color Wherever She Goes If your life were a t-shirt, what would it say? Gulfport resident Marra Piazza Brass knows her answer: “Sit still, be quiet, be kind.” She even knows what color it would be: a tiedyed swirl of raspberry and navy, the hues slightly faded so you can see the words clearly. As an experienced tie dyer, she thinks of these things. “Don’t get me wrong, I can be loud!” she quips. “But I do think it’s important not to get totally caught up in the day-to-day. Stopping to reflect a bit more lends itself to kindness.” Reflection – and a fair measure of creativity – are vital in her line of work. Piazza Brass has worked in student services for her entire professional life, first as a financial aid counselor, then as a high school guidance counselor, and now, as a Human Services Practitioner at the University of South Florida, in accessibility services. She assists students with disabilities in developing accommodations that allow them to fully participate in classes and campus life, while helping to educate university communities about accessibility issues. Even 30 years after the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this work can be an uphill battle.
ANNE ANDERSON
By Amanda Hagood
Marra Piazza Brass leads a tie dye demonstration at a Gulfport Historical Society fundraising event in September 2019. If you would like to see more of her work, check out her Etsy shop: Marralynn’sSaltyDyes.
“If I could wave a magic wand, and do just one thing to make the world better,” says Piazza Brass, “it would be to eliminate ableism – the belief that people with disabilities are somehow lesser.” Whether it’s campus facilities not built for all mobilities or a lack of education around invisible disabilities such as autism
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spectrum disorder, depression, or chronic pain, ableism still pervades many aspects of education. Still, Piazza Brass finds her own unique ways to make a positive change. A Disability Awareness Month program that she organized in March of 2021 featured workshops and presentations on univer-
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theGabber.com | January 13, 2022 - January 19, 2022
