Chapter Transcript
Chapter 1: Conversation with Laurie and Pam
Lisa: Good morning. My name is Lisa Sonneborn and I am conducting an interview with Pam Abbott and Laurie Scoggins in Pam's home in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and also present is our videographer Lindsey Martin. So Laurie and Pam, do I have your permission to start our interview?
Pam: Is that okay to start Laurie?
Laurie: Yes.
Lisa: Thank you, thank you. Well, the first thing I wanted to ask was if each of you could tell me your names? And we can start with Pam.
Pam: My name is Pam Abbott.
Lisa: [To Laurie] and what is your name?
Pam: [To Laurie] Laurie what's your name?
Laurie: [Speaking......]
Pam: Yea we are the movie. Are you gonna tell Lisa your name?
Laurie: Yea.
Pam: Go ahead tell her your name.
[Silence]
Pam: Laurie...Scoggins...
Laurie: Yea.
Pam: Is that your name?
Laurie: Yea.
Pam: Yea, well you tell Lisa. Can you tell Lisa your name?
[Silence]
Pam: Laurie Scoggins.
Laurie: Yea.
Pam: Are you being shy? Yea
Lisa: Laurie and Pam I wonder if you can tell me what is your relationship? Laurie who is this person sitting next to you?
Laurie: (01:01:31:09-01:03:36:05) [Speaking]
Lisa: We are making a movie that's a camera that will help us make a movie, yea. Who is this person sitting next to you Laurie?
Pam: Who am I? Are you my sister?
Laurie: Yea.
Pam: Yeahh. We're sisters.
Laurie: [Speaking...]
Pam: No, we're sisters. Right?
Laurie: [Speaking...]
Pam: That's right.
Lisa: Who is the big sister?
[Pause]
Pam: Laurie? Are you my big sister?
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Yeah. You were born first? Then I came along? Yeah.
[Pause]
Lisa: Laurie, I'm wondering if you could tell me a little bit about your sister Pam. Is your sister special to you?
Pam: (01:02:36:42-) Laurie, what do you like to do with me? What do we do together?
[Pause]
Pam: You visit me. We go out to eat. You come here for holidays. You stay overnight.
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: We have snacks, right? We go to parties.
Laurie: Aw, yeah.
Pam: Yeah? Cookouts, right? You like cookouts. You like to come over and sing, right? You played your guitar a little bit ago, singing all kinds of songs.
[Pause]
Pam: It's ok.
Lisa: Would you like to take a little break?
Stop Camera
Laurie: (01:00:03:15-01:00:19:05) Are we going to the movies over there at the mall?
Pam: Yeah we can go sometime.
Laurie: Okay.
Pam: Yeah what do you want to go see?
Laurie: I don't know.
Pam: You're not sure?
Laurie: No.
Pam: Something with singing and dancing?
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Yeah?
Lisa: Laurie do you have a favorite movie? I heard you singing some songs today what movie were they from? What movie is that song (Adelveis) from? Do you remember?
Pam: (01:00:31:25-01:01:00:09) What's your favorite movie? With Julie Andrews and all the kids...
Laurie: When we going to Rosehill, to see the kids?
Pam: Oh. Well, maybe next month.
Laurie: Oh next month.
Pam: Yeah. Go back to Rose Hill where she used to live, to see her friends. Yeah we go back and see your friends, don't we?
Laurie: Yeah.
Lisa: Where do you live now Laurie?
Pam: (01:01:05:15-01:01:34:08) Where do you live?
Laurie: Oh boy.
Pam: Where's your house? Where do you live?
Laurie: My house.
Pam: Yeah, and where is your house what town is your house? Pottstown?
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Yeah. You're coming up on a year, you've lived there for almost a whole year. Yeah.
Lisa: Do you like your house Laurie?
Laurie: How come I've got this on?
Lisa: What does your bedroom look like? Did you decorate it just as you wanted?
Laurie: How come I've got this (mic) on?
Pam: So people can hear you. Yeah- do you want to tell Lisa about your house, your new house?
Laurie: Yeah.I want to take it (mic) off.
Pam: No we need that on just for a little bit. So Laurie, you live in Pottstown, right? And you live with some other ladies... Who do you live with what's the name of your housemates?
Laurie: I don't know.
Pam: You don't know.
Laurie: I have to take it (mic) off.
Pam: It's not bothering you is it?
Laurie: No. When do we take it (mic) off? When?
Pam: When?
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: In a little bit, when we're done talking.
Lisa: Is that okay just for a few more minutes to wear while we're talking?
Pam: See I have one too, did you see mine? It's just so that everybody can hear you.
Lisa: So what kinds of things do you like to do at home Laurie- in your new house? What do you like to do?
Laurie: (01:02:58:21-3:05:00:01) Fiddles with mic. I don't want it (mic) on me.
Pam: (01:00:08:13-01:01:00:07) [Talking to Laurie]
Pam: We're just gonna be a few more minutes. But I need for you to tell Lisa, when she asks you a question you need to tell her what your favorite movie is or about your house. Ok? Don't be shy.
Laurie: I won't.
Pam: Ok, because we want to hear your story. (Laurie hugs Pam) We want to know about you, and so do other people. "cause you have a good story.
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Yeah.
Laurie kisses Pam
Pam: You do, I want you to tell your story. Allright?
Laurie: Yeah
Pam: So don't be shy!
Sisters cuddle
Pam: ok? And I'll help you.
Laurie: Yeah
Pam: I'll help you tell your story.
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Allright, good. And then we'll go out for lunch.
Laurie: Yeah, we can.
Pam: Ok.
Lisa: So Laurie we were talking a little bit about your house, do you like your house?
Laurie: (01:01:04:05-01:01:10:01) I like spaghetti
Pam: Yeah that's your favorite, isn't it?
Laurie: Yeah, I like spaghetti all the time.
Pam: Yeah
Lisa: Do you make spaghetti in your kitchen?
Laurie: Yeah
Pam: Yeah
Lisa: Do you have friends that live with you in your house Laurie?
Laurie: (01:01:26:00-01:02:27:00) What time is it?
Pam: Its, I don't know, lets see; It's about twenty of eleven.
Laurie: Yeah
Pam: But, let's talk about your house- your house in Pottstown.
Laurie: [Nods no]
Pam: [Laughing] Tell me about your house in Pottstown Laurie, do you like your new house?
Laurie: [Nods yes]
Pam: Yeah? Do you like having your own room?
Laurie: No
Pam: Yes you do. You like having your own room. What do you do, what do you like to do in your room?
[Pause]
Pam: Do you do your pegs?
Laurie: Oh yeah.
Pam: Do you want to tell Lisa?
Laurie: I know her.
Pam: Yeah tell Lisa about your TV and your pegs.
Laurie: (01:02:27:10-01:02:50:25) Yeah. Sometime I do.
Pam: Sometimes you do. Like after work when you get back from work.
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Do you like going to work? Yeah? What do you do at work?
[Pause]
Pam: What do you do at work?
Laurie: I make things.
Pam: Yeah, do you make things? Yeah? Do you get paid?
Laurie: I got check money.
Pam: You got check money.
Laurie: (Name) gave it to me.
Pam: Mmm hmm.
Lisa: What do you do when you get your check money, Laurie?
Pam: Do you give me your check? Do you give me your check?
Laurie: (01:03:00:12-01:03:22:03) Yeah.
Pam: Yeah and then we go to the bank.
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: What do you do?
Laurie: I don't know.
Pam: I give you your check back.
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Yeah. We go up to see the lady, the teller...And then you get your money...
Laurie: Yeah.
Lisa: What kinds of things do you like to buy with your money, do you like to go places or buy special things?
Laurie nods yes
Lisa: What kinds of things- where do you like to go? What kinds of things do you like to do?
[Pause]
Lisa: I know you like the movies. Have you seen any good movies lately?
(01:04:00:00-01:04:29:29)
Pam: Hey Laurie. What do you want to do?
Laurie: (01:00:04:00-01:00:52:09) I want to go with you. I want to go to the movies/
Pam: Yeah you want to go to the movies with me?
Laurie: Yeah
Pam: Okay. What movie do you want to go see?
Laurie: I don't know.
Pam: Just any movie? Any movie okay?
Laurie: Yeah
Pam: Okay and what do you want to eat when we get there?
Laurie: I like spaghetti.
Pam: Spaghetti at the movies? No...
Laurie: No! At the diner.
Pam: At the diner. Yeah which diner do you want to go to? Which one? Limerick? Pottstown?
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: That one? Pottstown? Okay, so we'll do that later okay. So do you remember when we moved your things into your new house? Do you remember that?
Laurie: I don't know
Pam: It was about a year ago and you moved from ----to your new house.
Laurie: (01:01:17:10-01:01:56:00) Yeah.
Pam: Yeah. That was a big change wasn't it? Do you like your new house?
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Yeah? Who works at your house?
Laurie: I don't know.
Pam: You don't know?
Laurie: No.
Pam: Marcus. Do you like Marcus?
Laurie: No.
Pam: No? Okay. You have three ladies you live with: Joan and Theresa and... Ruth.
[Pause]
Pam: Yeah. Are you my big sister?
Laurie: (01:02:02:10-01:02:14:07) Yeah.
Pam: Yeah. Do you help me? Do you take care of me? Yeah we take care of each other?
Laurie: [Nods]
Pam: Yeah. Sometimes. You were in my wedding weren't you? Do you remember what you wore?
Laurie: (01:02:00:21-01:02:53:00) You, me and Kevin.
Pam: That's right. You, me, and Kevin and you were my bridesmaid. You had that pretty pink dress on- do you remember that? And the pink hat? And you came down the steps holding the flowers?
Laurie: Yeah. [To Lisa] I like you.
Lisa: I like you too.
Laurie: I like her [To Pam] she's my sister.
Pam: That's right. We're sisters.
[Pause]
Pam: So, how about work. Do you want to tell me about work? I know that you didn't want to take the day off today.
Laurie: (01:02:53:30-01:03:49:10) I did. I did have the day off, I did.
Pam: Okay. That's today, right? Are you going to work tomorrow?
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Yeah because you like it at work, don't you? Yeah. And you like the people you work with. You do a good job. And you get paid money, right?
[Pause]
Pam: Yeah we were just counting your money yesterday, you had all these quarters that-
Laurie: [Yawning]
Pam: You're getting tired? You okay?
Laurie: Yeah.
Pam: Do you need some water?
Laurie: No.
Pam: Okay. Alright.
[Pause]
Lisa: Laurie is there anything else you would like to tell us about your sister?
[Pause]
Lisa: Is she a pretty good sister?
Pam: Are you nervous? With that big light, does that make you nervous, sitting here? Its allright, its ok.
Lisa: I think you did a great job Laurie. Would you like us to continue talking or would you like us to stop for awhile?
Pam: Are you done?
Laurie: Yeah, I'm done.
Pam: Ok. If you want to come back, 'cause I'm going to stay and talk, if you want to come back you can come back, ok?
Laurie nods yes.
More Interview Chapters
- YOU ARE HERE: Conversation with Laurie and Pam
- Pam Remembers Her Childhood
- Pam and Laurie as Adults
About Pam Scoggins Abbott and Laurie Scoggins
Born: Pam: 1958, Pennsylvania. Laurie: 1956, Pennsylvania.
Pam: ID Program Specialist, Chester County Department of MH|IDD. Laurie: Contract work.
Keywords
Church, Ebensburg, Community, Parents, Pennhurst, Siblings
The Disability and Change Symposium is available as a free online learning module.
Combating Implicit Bias: Employment
About this year's theme
Employment statistics for persons with disabilities continue to be disappointing, ~19% compared to ~66% of peers without disabilities. (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). We ask ourselves, "is there something beyond overt discrimination and access that perhaps we need to address? Are there silent barriers such as those created by implicit bias?"
Most of us believe that we are fair and equitable, and evaluate others based on objective facts. However, all of us, even the most egalitarian, have implicit biases – triggered automatically, in about a tenth of a second, without our conscious awareness or intention, and cause us to have attitudes about and preferences for people based on characteristics such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and religion. These implicit biases often do not reflect or align with our conscious, declared beliefs.(American Bar Association, Commission on Disability Rights, "Implicit Bias Guide," 2019)
This year's theme challenges us to each ask ourselves "What implicit bias(es) do we have and encounter, and how do we recognize them and move beyond them to create opportunities, welcome, and full participation for all?"
As always, this Symposium privileges first-person voices and experiences.
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The Disability and Change Symposium is a one-day, interdisciplinary conference focusing on cultural equity and disability. The event is free, accessible and open to the public.
Acknowledgments
Organized by the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, the Symposium is an outcome of collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Faculty Council on Disability whose mission is "to foster collaboration across Temple University on disability-related projects including research, teaching, programming, publication, and grant-seeking. By connecting with one another, Council members help build community among the growing number of people at Temple whose work engages with disability."
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This year we also want to recognize the contributions of students (Associate Professor Deb Blair, STHM 2114 - Leisure & Tourism in a Diverse Society), who contributed to shaping and supporting this symposium:
- Madeline Culbert, School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management; Bachelor of Science: Tourism and Hospitality Management (est. 08/2021)
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